CHRISTCHURCH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 452, 8 March 1890, Page 5

CHRISTCHURCH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Christchurch, Match 4. Mr G. F. Martin, President ot the Chamber of Commerce, in Itis address at yesterday’s meeting stated:—“l have personally very little hope of intercolonial free trade attaining greater length than perhaps a certain amount of reciprocity with some of our sister colonies, and that we shall only see absolute free trade with Australia when some of the leading colonies have exhausted their present rather selfish policy of protection, of which there are already signs. The question of

RENEWED IMMIGRATION

was most ably dealt with by Mr Stead at the recent Conference in Dunedin, and although his paper has met with a certain amount of adverse criticism in some quarters, I think it is generally admitted by those prepared to take a broad view of what is necessary for the better development of this great producing country, that Mr Stead’s arguments upon that occasion will remain unanswered by his opponents, and I think all that Mr Stead contended was that the colony required INCREASED POPULATION, capable of utilising its great agricultural, pastoral, and mineral resources, which would of necessity employ more capital, thereby an increased demand for labour. Trades unions are now the all-absorbing topic and burning question amongst our artisans and labouring classes generally, and I cannot help thinking that much good might be done by a body like the Chamber of Commerce were we to exhibit more anxiety to try and deal with matters of this kind in a conciliatory spirit in a young colony like this. There cannot be too little antagonism between employer and employed. Both have their

FAIR RIGHTS TO MAINTAIN and so promote mutual advancement of each and every class of our community We must undoubtedly pull together. I read a few days ago in our local papers that at a labour union meeting in Kniapoi, it was suggested by one of the speakers to ‘ boycott ’ the delivery of farmers’ grain, who had nob paid certain rates ot wages to threshing mill hands. I feel certain that the speakers of this class do not represent the sense of the Farm Labourers’ Union. The object of most of them is, no doubt, to earn and save fair wages, that they may become landowners or tenant farmers themselves, and I feel that all members of the commercial community should be only too willing to render assistance in bringing about by fair means such a desirable result, as no better class of colonists can possibly be secured for a young country.” __