The Daily News FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1903. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 139, 12 June 1903, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1903. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

| The members of the New Plymouth Chamber of Commerce are to be conjgratu'ated on wide range of subjects I dealt with at their meeting on Wednesday evening. The resolution cirjrjed in reference tc tho question of (preferential trade was very much to the j point, but at the same time avoided | the pitfalls of this vfry important bub intricate su l ject. The discufsion on the ques'ion of the decimal sys'em was !an interesting one, and it U a great I pity that more attention is not paid to i this important ques'ion. It is a sub | ject that Farmer's Uniocs might takf up with profit to themselves and the whole colony Theloss of time through our absurd system both of we-'ghts and measures and coinage involves an enormous waste of time besides many other disadvantages which could be ment'oned. Jf the d.cimsl system of weights and msesures were adop*ed it would be a great boon to farmers and, indeed, to anyone handling goods by weight or measurement, We should have liked to have seen the Chamber invite the Farmers Unions to give the matter their consideration and a small committee might have been set up to draw up information on the subject in a concise form to submit to the Unions; The discussion on the question of direct trade with Sydney was disappointing. We are told there is no trade, and that if there was it is no use running the class of steamers that can safely use the port, but at the last meeting of the Chamber it was quite hot on the question, and wanted steamers put on at fnce, now we are told harbour improvalents must be gone on with first. We still hold the same opinion as we expressed on Wednesday morning regard-1 ing the suitability of the class of steamers now trading to the por-, but would point out that if only pas engers, and a very small trade have to be considered, there is no reason why veesels drawing 20 feet of water should not visit the port now, as four or five hours in port would be ampb. The soundings shown on the east side of the wharf are 16 feet at low water spring tides, and 15 feet on the west side of the wharf, with a rise and fall of 12 feet. This gives 27 and 28 feet ef water, so that a vessel drawing 20 feet of water could safely lay at the wharf for from four to six hours each tide. Moreover the berthage and fairway conld easily be deepeued by another; (three or four feet in a very short time. The recognition of the importance of

tha Moke-road was very sitjsfactory, and every effort should be made 16 have this road pushed through. We regret; that the importance of pushing on with the Toko -Whaßgamomona railway did not receive more consideration. The people of Stratford are straining every neive ko.get this line pushed on to prevent the trade of •he inland country being diverted to Warjgauui. This diversion will be quite as injurious to New Plymouth as ro S'ratfcrd, besides tha lice in question will prove of immense ben th to the port here, and New .Plymouth should back up tha effjr's to get this line put in in every possible way. Iu j tha ttianglo, which has i's base at New I Plymouth acd S ratford and its npex' it the junction of the Moko and OLur,iroad, is an immense area of roo=t excellent land, tin produce of wbLhf -hould all ba exported from the break- ] water, and will be if all tho south- j si stern portion is not diverted to) Wanganui. Nothing can step that being done but a i ail way, mi we hope

no effort will bs spared to eecur.i the trade of this country for New Plymouth through Stratford, which is bcuod to become the great inland as impor'ant to Taramki as Palmerston North is to Wellington.