CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Southland Times, Issue 600, 5 December 1866, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The annual general meeting of the Tnvercargill Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon at the office, Tay-strcet. ; The members present were: — Messrs Henderson Law (Chairman), Buchanan, D. M'Donald, J. Macphersen, T. Watson, F. Moore, W. Eussell, C. H. Reynolds, J. Harvey, T. M. Macdonald, and W. H. Calder. The following gentlemen were duly proposed and seconded as new members: — Messrs Moeller, H. T. Eoss, J. Hare, W. Todd, J. Stock, R. D. Tale, and J. Dalgleish. On the • ballot being taken they were declared elected. The Chairman said his remarks on the transactions of the Chamber during the past year would be necessarily brief. Too many meetings had been allowed to lapse for want of a quorum, but he hoped that for the future there would be a more punctual attendance of .. members to discuss matters — that were constantly arising — of importance to the mercancommunity. The business for consideration that afternoon was the delay in opening the Bluff Eailway after its completion. As they were all aware, within the next month or two there would be large arrivals of goods at the Bluff for this town and some four or five thousand bales of wool to send away. In expectation of the opening of the railway many of the lighters had left this port, and there were now not enough left to supply the demand. It did seem to imply a degree of mismanagement somewhere that they should now have to depend upon drays. He believed the local government would be glad to have their hands supported in an appeal to the General Government to prevent further delay. He had seen that day the draft of a petition or memorial to the Provincial Government. A copy was laid on the table. [The Secretary, Mr Nutter, here read the petition.] The Chairman further explained that he had waited on the government lately to ascertain when the line would be opened for goods traffic, when he had been requested to send in a written communication on the subject. The petition then read had been drawn up under the belief that it would have more weight if coming from the Chamber collectively. Mr Calder thought it was useless to petition the government here on the subject. They were perfectly helpless, their hands were completely tied, and no talking or petition on the part of the Chamber to the local government would strengthen its hands. He believed the Chamber should directly address the General Government — first by telegram and afterwards by memorial. It was pretty well known that Messrs Dalgety,. Eattray and Co.'s lien foraed the only obstacle to the opening of the railway, and it bad been so far arranged that it might be settled at a aays notice. " An offer he believed had been made, and— if the matter were not settled already the General Government on being made aware of the injurious effect of delay would probably close the matter directly. They were at head quarter* so much busied with their own affairs and those of the other provinces that it was not surprising if Southland had been overlooked. He repeated the opinion that a telegram should be at oDce sent to the General Government stating the hen was the only caus,e )f delay.