CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 79, 7 August 1863, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

A T quarter]y general meeting of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce was hcld,in compliance -with the rules on the sth instant, at three o'clock, within the offices of Messrs Dalgety, Kattray, and Co. Present — Messrs Jr M'Donald, S. Beavanj Hay, G; S;;ButtoiV i'erkins, Bonar, Whitton, Hatch, Miller, Adam, Blacklock, and D. M'Donald. Mr M'Donald, Vice-Chairtnan, in the. absence (from indisposition) of 'Mr Calder,"tpok the chair.. ; :; ■ The Chairman stated that a special'general meeting had been called to consider commercial charges ; but that it had, from want of attendance, lapsed. Another meeting had also been called to consider a memorial since submitted to His Honor, the Superintendent, but it also had lapsed. The Secretary read that memorial approved at a committee meeting of date the Ist June. Unto His Ifonor the Superintendent of Southlnnrl, tho Memorial of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce '• Humbly she wclh: , That the subject of contract for public, works has seriously engaged the attention of your memorialists. Th-it jour memorialists claim the credit of being actuated entirely by public motives and as having n desire to fulfil a duty to the whole community. Your memorialists' respectfully submit that all contracts for public works, of whatever nature, should be fully and fairly thrown open to public competition. That your memorialises are of opinion that serious and unnecessary delays have arisen in carrying out several of ihe most important public works of .the Province, and that such delays are, to a large extent, attributable to the aystewi at present adopted in inviting tenders for and accepting contracts, which system is prejudicial alike to both the interests of the Province and to persons contracting, for the following reasons, viz.: — When a contractor sends in a. tender he is ignorant of the amount of deposit he may bo called upon to make, should his tender be accepted; and, from the fact of one tenderer being culled on to provide a larger deposit than others, an invidious distinction is made, which, iu practise, tends to so much uncertainty, that contractors are unable to tender with confidence, or- receive that support from merchants and others, which, in most cases, is indispensable to enable them to carry out their contracts satisfactorily. That you/ memorialists, viewing this subject in relation to the prospects of this Province as one of the deepest importance, would beg to lay before your Honor tho following suggestions, which in their opinion would materially assist in preventing the inconvenience nnd loss hitherto sustained, viz. : — Affixed rate of deposit should bo required in all c as os — sny 10 per cent, as in Victoria. "When expensive plant is required, the contractor should have the option of having it v lu d when on the ground, and by giving a lien thereon be enahled to realise its value. The tenders should be opened by the head of the department under which the work, properly comes and in presence of the persons tendering or their agents, on a day to be named by adverlisment. The lowest eligible tender should he accepted, and the successful tenderer or his agent be required to hand over on the spot the necessary deposit, failing -which, the next lowest «ligible tender to be acccepted on the same condition, and so on. As a rule, contractors should be bound to a time to be fixed by bonds of dep nrtments, who should be held responsible for the success of the works. All alterations in the specifications should be adjusted between the Government and the contractor whose tender is ucccpted. Your memorialists would I .' heref'ore pray your Honor to lay before tho_ Government the whole question of contracts, with a view to secure for this Province, tlie full and speedv development to which her resources and po-sit-ionjuatly entitle her. And your petitioners, &c' The Secretary then read his Honor's piySuperintendent's Office, Southland June Oth. 1563. Sir, — T hnvc tho honor to acknowledge the receipt last night of a memorial signed by you as Chairman, and on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce here, in which tho inemoi ialiats claim the credit of being actuated entirely by public motives, and as having a cliity to fulfil to the wliol« community, that consequently — all public works of whatever nature, should !>!? fiilly and fairly thrown open so public competition — condemn the pro sent pvstem of accepting tenders, and make several suggestions for tho future management of such matters. It might perhaps be considerel unencious on tin- piirt nf the Provincial Government, to scan closply the value of the advice thus freely given — (jii one or two points however, on which tho mem rinlist? seem to labour under some nii.-nppre-honsion I will offer a few remarks. Tim memorial declares that contracts for public works should bo thrown open to public competition. If the memoviulif-ts had mnde due enquiry, they might have learnt, that, the Provincial Government limr, since it was first formed, acted on this general riile -^-instances to the contrary have been so unfrequent, that their small number Droves the rule ; in those exceptional cn^es, the rule has been deviated from for sufficient reasons — the Provincial Government appreciate; tbo \a'ue of such a rule as a guide generally, but- it does not recognise the propriety of fettering il-s freedom of action by preserihing'rulosto bo vividly adhered to, which might not be applicable in all eases. The momorialis'.s condemn the present svstem, because the tenderers do not know how much tliov will h«vc to .deposit if successful — and because some contractors are i equired to deposit greater per centage than others. So for the present system of requiring deposits has worked satisfactorily on the whole. The r.iffernnee in the rate of deposits has been within reasonable limits, and in no c.ise excessive. Tf a certain mininuin is fixed, such as will give a suflicient guarantee that the workwil be executed, it does not appear that the public has reasonable cause, to censure any agreement with a contractor whereby the Government may have stipulated for a deposit larger than usual, in cases where, from the nature or urgency of the work, the character of the contractor, known or unknown, or for other reasous, it conceives that such a course should bo followed. I apprehend that cases not unfrcquently occur in ordinary mercantile transaction?, in which a similar " invidious distinction" as it is called in th? memorial, is m ide, by giving a measure of credit to one person greater than another, or by making that a cash transaction with one party which with nnother would be one of credit. I have remarked that in the Province of Ota^o a series of rules similar to those suggested by the memorialists, has recently been adopted ; if found to work well there, they might be introduced into Southland with advantage. In the meantime I have the honor to express on behalf of the Provincial Government, its sense of obligation to the memorialists for the suggestions they have been good enough to make. I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient servant, J. A. II Menzi-ks, S uperiutenrtent. The Secretary then read certain resolutions passed by the Committee at the meeting above quoted. That the Chamber bavins maturely considered (lie circular issued by his Honor, the Superintendent, to the Merchants and Traders of Invercargill, dated 13th May, are of opinion, that the providing an agency for purchasing the material for the construction of the Invercargill and Bluff Railway, without submitting the same for competition within the colony, is an act of discourtesy to the merchants of Invercargill. That by not having a responsible person or persons in the colony Ho whom the Government might look for the due fulfilment of its orders in this matter, the most expensive plan has been adopted. That, the public funds of this province having been thus exclusively placed at the disposal of parties beyond the immediate control of the Government, '■ they are rendered liable of being injudiciously, if not recklessly dealt with." The Chairman said the Government appeared to have acted somewhat strangely in appointing an agency at home in connection with the purchase of material for the Railway, especially as the outlay involved was so heavy, and public money was thus placed at the mercy of, possibly, adventurers Avho would make ducks and drakes of the public money. Mr Blacklock begged to move that the documents just read, together with the memorial should be handed to the local journals, with a request that they be published. Mr Perkins seconded, and the motion was carried.

S TB FOtt THE CHAMBER OF COMMKBCB.^ .. Mr Whitton moved that the Secijßtaryvl)! instructed to 'enquire if any comrnumcatior had been'receivttl'by the late honorary jecre "tary fronv t ihs*lmenibers of the Town Bojfrc and the Go\ernment, ■with regard to Ihifsite offered for a Chamber cf Commerce, and i not, that he at once write, in terms ot th( resolutions passed on the 18th May, ex plaining the cause of delay. Mr Beaten seconded, and the motion was carried. _ LANDING TIMBER. Mr Bonar wished the opinion of the Cfram bdr as to the landing of , timber on the wharf At pi esent it was conducted in a most irregular way. lie though there ou^ht to be some resolution as to a fixed mode of discha_gir tt boomed to be a great favor in the meantime to get timber tip to the jetty at all. II was thrown ashoie heKer skelter without anj regard to keeping it clean. There ought t€ be a remedy. Mr Whitton said that the. Government had some time since icsolved that timber should not be landed at the jetty, as it inteifered with general business, unless by the direction of the jetty keeper. ' 7 The Chairman said that timber cduld be discharged at Puni Creek, as well^as safely; and as cleanly as at the jetty. . * ; Mr Bonar suggested that a platform should be constructed alongside the jetty for the purpose — a low. jetty extending some 50 yaids-h---for the master's of lighters objected to go to Puni Creek. The Cha'rman said that the same depth of water would be found at the creek as at such a jetty. Mr Miller observed that Pnni Creek was more convenient, because nearer to the yards. The Chairman said that a south-wester would carry away Mr Bonar's platform altogether. Mr Bonar Jihen said he wonld abandon a resolution h^intended upon the subject till far 'ier consideration. 1 OSS BY LIGHTERAGE. : Mr Bonar said, that if a lighterman held a receipt from a vessel for goods, and he discharged all that he got, then if there were a aeiiciency the consignee had no resource. Mr Miller remarked that it appeared by the decisions of the Court, that the lighterman's declaration that he had discharged everything according to receipt availed against that of the consignee, for the leason that the con signee or his representative was rarely present during the whole discharge. Mr Adam said that the js-tty keeper ought to give receipts, and be responsible for the whole goods landed. Mr Blacklock mentioned that he understood Government were about to appoint rn officer to tally all goods landed, and be responsible for the same, which appointment would remedy to a certain extent the grievance. commission ox sinrs, &c. Mr Miller said that however pleasing that which had taken place might be, and however Ke might be gratitied thereby-, still lie understood that lie had come to the meeting for the purpose of recording his vote upon the subject of commission upon ships. The Chairman said that this matter had already been disposed of by the committee, and their decision as to the scale approved. Mr Bonar said that five per cent, was quite little enough, and two and a half per cent, ffir from sufficient, in a place where such an amount of trouble was involved as in Invercargill. In Melbourne you had nothing to do but sit in your office and calmly receive freights, but here you had to rush about fiom office to office, and often call half a dozen times upon the same man for payment. The Chairman instanced the trouWe there was in the Now Zealand colonies in brokerage for ships from the home country. In Canterbury he Ji«d known upwards of Ll oo collected for freight by a single ship for separate parcels, not one of which individually amounted to more than Ll 10s. He had, however, heard of a firm in Invercargill, members too of the Chamber of Commerce, who dad done a ship's business for nothing. Several members of the Chamber objected to gratis brokering and the discussion ended. Some deliberation, not containing much point, followed as to the Star of Victoria slipping her anchor and cable. After a few remarks from the Chairman regretting that so many meetings of the Ch umber lapsed from want of attendance, and that even in such meetings as were attended, members had to be hunted down in order to form a quorum, the meeting sepai sited.