CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5438, 31 August 1878, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The ordinary meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon. Present—Messrs. Krull- (in the chair), .Hose, Dransfield, Duncan, Nathan, Wallace, Bethune, Harcourt, Kreeft, Baird, Levin, Buchanan, Trapp, Deacon, Mclntyre, Gardiner, O’Neill, Graham, Port, Green, Levy, Crawford, Pearce, Sawyers, Williams, Simpson, Macdonald, Reeves, Richardson, Boardman, and George. MINOTE3. The minutes of the previous meeting,.were read and confirmed. HEW MEMBERS. The following members were added to the Board :—Messrs. D. P. Davis, E. Reeves, and D. M. Luckie. THE HARBOR BOARD. The following was read concerning the Harbor Board : The committee of this Chamber has bad under its earnest consideration the of the establishment of a Harbor Board for this port and the Bill for that purpose prepared on behalf of the Corporation. The committee is deeply impressed with the importance of the subject, not only to the mercantile body, but to the whole community of Wellington, whoso interests are intimately connected with and largely dependent on the shipping and commercial business of the pork Whilst, however, there would be to a great extent community • f interest between the City Council, as representing the entire community, and f- o Harbor Board, yet the functions of the two bodies, and the class of subjects with which they have to deal, arc so widely different that the committee is convinced that full justice can scarcely be done to; both by the same Board. Moreover, the amount of labor that would devolve upon a Board acting in both capacities would, it is believed, prove to be extremely burdensome and Inconvon ent. It alsoappears tothlp committee that to a certain extent interests outside, those of the local community are involved, in the diction of a Harbor Board, and should be represented 5 - in its const! r ution. With these viqwa, the comna'/Aoe desire-to suggeaC’, that fch£ Harbor Board should oe made to consist oji seven members, chosen as follows The Mayor, two! City Councillors to be elected.by,the Council, two tal be nominated by the Governor, one to bo elected byj the shipping interest, the Chairman of the Chamber of' Commerce. As a sequence to the change proposed in the constitution of the Board, it would be absolutely necessary that separate endowments should be granted to it to enable it to carry out the improvements and additions to the facilities of the port that are so urgently needed, and to make the reductions in the port charges which now pr-'ss so heavily upon the trade. For this purpose, the committee beg to suggest that the following revenues should be set aside as appertaining to the Harbor Board, and to bo expended solely on the harbor and its appliances, viz: —One half the proceeds of the Te Aro and Thorndon foreshore reel unations, the harbor dues, and the wharf dues. Mr. Pearce moved, and Captain Mclntyre seconded, that the letter as read be sent to th« Mayor as expressing the views of the Chamber. Mr. Duncan suggested that a copy be sent to the Government, so that it would be subject to equitable financial arrangement with the Corporation as to the liability existing in the endowments which are alluded to in the letter. sailors’ home.

The Chairman mentioned that the subject of a Sailors’ Home was still under the con* sideration of the committee, that Captain Hose was making enquiries and conferring with gentlemen interested in shipping, and that he would bring up a report embodying their views. SPECIAL JURORS. The Chairman drew attention to the fact that the Government were acting under suggestions from the Chamber in respect to special jurors in civil cases, and that very probably some alteration would be effected, which would not necessitate so many mercantile men being summoned to attend as jurors. WHARF DUES. The following letter was read from the Town Clerk ; Town Clerk's Office, Wellington, 30th Aug., 1878. Sir,—l have the honor to forward herewith a schedule of wharf charges at the four principal ports of New Zealand, so far as I have been able to ascertain them, and will bo greatly obliged by your bringing the same under tho notice of the Chamber. On inspection, X think'it will bo found that in tho greater number of tho items the Wellington charges will compare most favorably with those of the other porta.—l am. &0., Charles C. Graham, S. Carroll, Esq., Secretary Town Clerk. Chamber of Commerce.