NEW PLYMOUTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 101, 30 April 1902, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

QUARTERLY MBEEING, The quarterly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held on Monday evening, The President (Mr W. Newman )was in the chair. There were al»o pro. ent Messrs N. Ring, R. Cock, W. iiew!ey, 0. Choup, J. C. George | Gritiitbs, Alexander, W. J. Penn, Goldwater, W. Courtney, A. E. A.. Olaike, J. Paul, K. 0. Hughes, S. Wes'-un, W. Ambury and the secretary, Mr T. 0. Kolsey. Tuj miuutes of the previous meeting were lead and confirmed. Ap 'logies for absence were received i from Messrs W.J. Shaw.C. W. Govett 'and 0, Sumuel. The Chairman, referring to matter; wising out of the minutes, said that the Hon. A. J. Cadman's offer re th« harbour had done more to bring that question before the ratepayers than any quantity of printed matter. The excellent little production entitled " A Progressive Harbour," iesued by the Harbour Board and the harbour plans, had all done so much that the committee appointed by the Chamber had felt it unnecessary to do anything just at present. The P'nss had also done a great deal in the way of furnishing a large quantity cf useful information/ Afier one or two others had endo: sad the chairman'* rewaiks, the ordinary business was proceeded with. A letter was reud from ths Wellington and Napier Chanibata of Commerce protesting agninst the contract | for f rcz n meat going to the Argentine, It was »e»ulv.:d.to ackoowle.ige earn. The Tarauaki County and rho Harbour Board wrote acknowledging r«ceipt iif the Chamber's resolution re one engineer for the whole of the l.c*l bodies. The Manchester Cotton Company wrote forwarding a book illustrative ef the Manchester ship canal. The Chairman said the book had boen plactd on the table at the club. The Haweia Chamber of Commerce wrote asking the Chamber to join in a request for reduction of telephone rates to £8 where place of business and private rtsidonce were both connected. Mr Bawley thought the request unreasonable, Mr Alexandsr thought as the service j was cheaper thun at Hoilo, they had notiiiug to cJinplain of. | The chairniau said the erection of I the private service was often the most ! costly. "■ Mr Goldwater said that New Zealand was the cheapest service in the world, excepting Norway. It was decided to inform the Hawera Chamber that this Chamber did not apptovul the pioposa). Correspondence was received from tha Right; Hon. the Premier, the Wel- ; lington and L mdou Chambers of Com- ! inerce re the metric system of weights i and measures. j Mr Hughes thought the Chamber should ssrongly support the proposal. I The present system was a relic of barI bariso). 1 ilr Wewley moved that this Caarai bar strongly supports the movement I fur the introduction of the mefcrio system, and that the chairman bring the i matter under the notice of the member ; for this district asking for his support. | Seconded by Mr George, and carj ried. I The Secretary for Customs wrote ! statiDg that the local Collector would i in future confer with the chairman regarding the value of exports. The local Collector (Mr Bedford) 1 wrote re the same. | In reply to a question, the Chairman | said a conference bad taken place, with | the result.that the value of butter was : raised 4< per owt, a»d woo! lowered. : The secretary of the Agent-Generitl's ! office, London, wrote asking for copies ! of. the Chamber's reports to be forwarded. ; It wns ieolved to comply with the : request. i The London Chamber of Commerce i wro'e re broaching cargi. ! The Chiiirmin eaid he had one \ wan of complaint from Mr Goldwater. ] Sir Joseph Ward's telegram re ac- '■ ctsptanca of letters with penny stamp jby Australia without suioharge wai read. The G-man Consul in Auckland forwarded a statement of import* and exports showing a balance in favour of Australia. Mr Bewley paid the exports seemed to be principally wool. Mr Cock said he supposed this was a counterblast to " Made in Germany."

Soma discussion ensued on a letter from the secretary re the state of the finances, and suggesting that the aubscription be rained to 211. Mr Bewley did n >t favour making the Cham bar more exclusive. There was already a fading that the Chamber mo.* a close corporation; Mr King said is w*s clear thit they could not carry on with some 20 members on a 101 subscription. New members were always welcome, and ho did notsupprtse 21s would stop them, Mr Hughes urged a cmvas for me libers on thu present' ba-*'s, j Af sr further discussion Mr King i moved, and Mr W. D. Webster seconded, That a uifeting b» i h«ld on Monday next to con-ider raising the annual subscription to 21s.— Th t uiuti-in was carried. Lengthy discussions then took place on the question of child slavery in connection with tbe dairy industry and on the.question of completing the harbour, which wtT9 reported in our last issue. Mr J. C. George gave notice to m;ve in the matter of an extension it the boundaries of the land district, so as to icicludc the Kawhia district. Mr Hughes also brought up the question of securing provision for the construction of arterial roads. It was understood these matters weuld be d.mlt with at the special i meeting, and the meeting adjourned! after the usual compliment to thej chair. !