TARANAKI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8004, 15 December 1905, Page 3

TARANAKI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The .piartt-rly meeting of the Tatanaki Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday night was attended by W. Axubury (Hresklont), it. |). Johns, L. M. Monteath. J. I'aul. \V. J. IVnn, Baker, C. ' Ahier. J. Avcrv. ). SamUel, L. \\. Alexander. J. Skinner, M. Fraser. !•:. (iriiliths. C. I Inches, O. 11. Morgan. \\. Morev. •Jim., \\. B. Davis. An apology lor absence was read rom Mr Arnold. Ikffore the minutes were read, the 'resident said he owed an explanation to new memljevs ,ior not having <»nnally welcome t before. The chamber was glad of 1 his accession o its strength. NKW MKMHEKS. Messrs V.. 11. (Jrhbori (lyoroiig'h i'HJruor), T. C. I.ist (proprielor "Taranaki Daily Neus"). l'>. (». .Skelton (New -Plymouth n-prvsentative of tho New Zealand Co.), ami l>r. A'yllit were elected members. Mr .Skelton was oflieiaily welcom* 'id, and took his s»-at. COKUESroXDKXCE. A letter wav read from the Decimal Ascociation urging llw /adoption of the Metric System. Tho International Hoard of Trade, Xew York, wrotn asking fot reciprocity in th»» matter of information re jnanufacinivs ami industries. Mr U. Frnser \moved, and Mr J. Paul sccomled —That'* Mie st-cretarv {prwarri to these boilies t-he annual report of the Chamber and any other papers oi interest .—Can- ed. Mr SamjUc'l Vaile's tivatise'on Xew railway reform was referred lo'the Chairman. The Canterbury Chamber of Com- . merce wrote suggesting tln\t a Conference cf Chambers of Commerce r b# field during the international "txhijition at Christchureh in IUOO—7 iteierred to the Council to deal with. WOltK DOXK. 1 The President stated that thequestioiti of a new Vost Office for Xew Plymouth and the deviation of the railway line had often been discussed in the Chamber, and these were mow ;ving proceeded with. The (Jovern- 1 ment had made grants* to roads and bridges," but not in the extent that 1 had been, desired by the Chamber. 1 li.j hoped this moiuy weuld in »|>ent. < DPT\ OX POTATOES. t The President 'went on tn <deal «viih the Premier's proposal to reiif v.- ihe tluty from tobacco, which would teftefit few, but whilst there « was practically a potato famine in he colonjf it weuld be more advantageous to reinove 1 the 20 per :rnt. duty On imported potatoes. I"h;s ieatt«T aff«H;ted th<- whole popuation. thi» trouble aerrnluat«>d ,»y the ravages of the pointo blight. Mr Kras< r said he ihought it a mistake-to tie the two Tyiestions to Duties on tobacco and potatoes were so entirely different that ibey could' not lx' d«alt with in one motion. The duty on potatoes now was about L'2 fn-r ton. aird j>eople in ihq colony were practically doing without them. He suggested that ( should potatoes rxcetfl per ton—which never occurred umk'r ordinary conditif/ns—potatei-s should be admilled duty i'lee. lie niovui in that direction. Mr Samuel said the change could , liinlly l>e hoped for without seine < hnnge ' i)i <;iir t arif Y s>strm. The j duty could not be removed except <»y Act cf Parliament, and this meant * delay of months. Th.-re should be 1 .t iv.c power by which the tJuvernor- ' in-('ouncil could reduce or remove ,inv duty on any produce in the case •vi ihe uiluie i>i our crop. Mr Bedford. ppeaViing fas .in old Toll-ctor i»f Cusionis. the lu\ \ c» übl he removal by the Uoyal Mr Samuel askifl to be allowed The Commission was only *o !ix nmounts of duties, not \ie ro- -i imposjc or remo\<; th.:n. Kr.r this reason he thought jt inadvisable to forwatd such a <( resolution as that propose»l by Mr Eraser. Mr Eraser t splinted that ; the \iistrjlian (iovernn'ent I.ad ronipasM<l a somewhat simiiar li!T>mlly by (h'.rging the duty a* usual ond it. ' J Mr lluglsr.s Tins in favour of "ad- j mil t iii£ our olt[ friend Mr Mur]>hy witlmnt any poll-tax whatever at all Mli.t-s." 'J lie T:.a iT * l rould be fi\ed n tie manner by Mr SartiM'-l._ this ide.' h;»\in:s ii precedent i' in the old English Com Laws. Mr Ilaker mentioned that this provision was emb'«lie<l in the b-gis- f latien pass««d to cojie v. ith the • Aii/Tican Harvester Trust. 1 Mr Samuel moved —That in tn<? opinion oi this' Chamber it would bring great relief to the peopl* <»f many parts of thisj colony if. ii view of the probable failure of the potato crop the -duty can be removed from potatoes for so long as -the present scarcity continue* ; also tha' it seems desirable that, if n«w»sary, the Customs Act -hoiild le amended so us to permit the Covernor-in-Cotmcil during any 1 recess <;f Parliament to suspend the collection of duty on imported foodstuffs in like emergencies. Mr Eraser thought the attention of the (nrternment should be drawn to the action of the 'Australian (•<>• vernmont in a li*"" emergency. Mr Grifliths oppt sm! the Jiisi part of ih* moti< ;i. ![.• thought that the pola»>« el-- oi the colony was not a v . The area under crop was • ;.c . larger than usual, ami i" "the South yields would be'good. Blight visitid all countries, and ih«» rani'»d fanner r«-ok precautions aimiiiM it, lie /Mr Crifliths) was rather incline»l to tavoufl the tartner. so that the co.kl y,et |t he)(lii<'nefit*» of hi* work. A Marlborough eomspojTtlent of his linn had .staled that the indications w» re inwards ;» plenteous supply at low rates Mr Eraser meiitiotunl his limit of il."> !»«•»• ton for dut.\ purpose< : this with M'reight and duty at i, I per teak each wotdd really prot<>ct the up to toll. Mr Samuel considei»d that tho Chamber couhl not <lictate limits to the (»etvrr.m»»nt. which should not !»«■ coiu{»elbxl to resort to mrderhand nn-ans— and . in .»rder to achi"\e the di'sind end. Th.» motion was carried. TOBACCO DCTIES. Tfi<» question of duty fro'n tobacco was Mr Era- -• r dealing with 'he xnui.ri in fapnbh' manner. lie tlitl »|,in| v the reduction or abolition of this duty would U-nefit the consumer' V"f\ much. There were pl.-niy ot articles on which the (li.wriniient, ■uiiiht ngh'ly the t'usioins 'avati«.n. The Presi-dent e ( ncin r-Hl. Sueh a ! a\ uould ?"t re-luce ivt ail eluu'iivs. Mjt only pl,iv«-rl into th* h.m.ls of t' bacco trust:-. Mr I'enu moved that consideration he deferred. Th* could not. cmne , before Parliament' for seven month* —Cart h^l. jIHJItT LINK CHAKOES. Mr Baker though' it\ time 'hat tiii' Chamber shoul-d endenvour tr> have the pi>*s»nt "monstrous neiuht"fij ,"»s j)i-r ton oti from the breakwater reduced. lb* compared four "!' railway v.iih the Inv»T«'artriti-BlulT section of 11 miles, where and cost #»rl a t»n O n mr sr«le Invercart»ll rates f;e and ii we were rhartred Hecord.iu*j t«; the tariff these the frekdtt her - shoufrl j}/rmly ton. rates wt re rrjualiy unfair. All » business ' men in S>-\v Pl.wmuiili knew the seri(TUsn»-><* of this - evt p parcel as big a* « i cosi !•« '!<{ freight betwe.n ih»* and toe.n. le wvVi d I Hai 1 h.* t 'handier make representation to ha\"' a refaction itUKle. J Mr Samuel secon'h-'i. Thi.- matter , I tK-en U»fore t Chamb.-r several iin■ s. and the Minister's attention hoi fre.'pientk I>e«i directed to the atrtr ;t (< !♦<-«.< «■( lh" chari'Vhad i. n abfe to 'A by it el i; hi 1e -o e-uct, libber , than ivi. ■- ■-!- v t -r.Mr i Va- er <.\ : »\ ' La' ' !-e rrm-] part of th' poMM ii was tha' '.ui >hip s 1 jh--as.t|f•.-meiit rl..\ e...,, pacing l"»sa f,freight #.n -i:'e c<""L\i'ier a «i---ctjssion on railways Ihe rosp.