TARANAKI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8060, 8 March 1906, Page 3

TARANAKI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The jjimrU'rly meeting of ihe Chamber \va> lirld on Wednesday, when ihere was ii largr alleii'lanee uf members pivsen I, tin.' President, Mv W. Amlmry, pi*osuli n*_». .#■

A coiiiMiuiiii'alioii wis received by the secretary of the Chamber (Mr 11. Bedford), notilymtj dial lie hid been appointed secretary local commit it' to co-oper.ite with liie Home Industries Committee of the Tnlerii:ilioual Exhibition. The inl'i/rmalion attached was very meagre, and after discussion, il was agreed tU-it I lie Clumber do not take any ollicial actiun as local representatives of the Exhibition, but that Mr Bedford act as secret irv in his private capacity, and malic his own arrangements for the selling up of a committee.

The meeting then proceeded to demolish the Tariff, receiving reports from various members of the Tariff Commit-

Mr M. Frascr submitted a mot ion dealing with the proposed reduction of (ill per lb on tob iceo duty. He pointed out that the proposed reduction would mean a loss of £50,000 a year to the revenue, and would nnan no saving to the consumer. The tobacco business was principally in the hands of a few manufacturers and trusts, who alone would derive any benefit from the reduction.

Mr Paul and Mr Avery concurred, while Mr Samuels who agreed in (he main with the previous speakers, questioned whether the Chamber should express an opinion ou a matter that a fleet ed the whole colony, considering the majority of the members were not conversant, with the Tariff generally. Eventually the following resolution was carried on the motion nf Mr Praser and Mr Samuels That the proposed reduction of duty on tobacco by (id per lb would not result in any appreciable reduction iu the price of tobacco by retail and would therefore be of no benefit whatever to the consumers of tobacco, whilst it would entail a serious loss of revenue.

The i[ucstion of duly oil fruits preserves, limber uiul patent nicdiccnes in turn provided subjects for a desultory discussion, but no resolutions, member's expressing the opinion that the c|ucstions of free tl'iide and protection, inlo which the discussion was in dauber of drifting, was 100 involved lo lie diseussed and disposed of at the meeting. Il was pointed out tlint if the Chamber Were represented al a (.'(inference of Chambers at which llie larilT was being discussed, valuable information would be obtained. Jt was accordingly resolved tliat it be an instruction to the Council to appoint a representative to attend any conference of Chambers of Commerce held to deal with the tariff questian. A further motion was moved bv Sir Fraser and agreed to, viz., "Thai the President of. the Chamber communicate with the other Chamber of Commerce in the colony 011 the matter "

iio.unxu tiik iiu'K-m.orKs, The i|ucstiou of roadiug the backblocks next came on for discussion. Sir W Kerr, who inlroduced the matter, made special reference lo the necessity of opening up ami improving the communication between the coast roads, aud the country of the northeastern parts. He pointed out that the settlers there under present conditions. had to face a road of 70 miles lo Stratford; that the completion of the Moki-road would bring the settlers within easy distance of Ihc coast road, and thus of Wailara and New Plymouth ; that lliu S'loki-road lapped a considerable amount of fertile dairying I md ; that the New Plymouth harbor would materially benefit from the opening up of the country ; that Auckland was making, and would make big efforts to capture the trade of these parts; and tint an effort should be made in the meantime to open up communication with Slaiigaron and the Ohura, per the Mokau liiver. Ho moved, That a Vilig.ince Committee be set up of such representative men in] the district as take interest in the sub-j jeet, to consider the best means of establishing communication with the' interior, aud, after deciding what these' should be, ami considering Hie matter of opening up steamship communication with Kiuvlua and Slokau, to make recommendations to this Chamber, with tlie view of its agitating for their adoption by tlie Government " Ml' Stanley Shaw seconded, ami in doing so remarked that lie had been informed by a gentleman who was in a position to speak authoritatively, that the people of New Plymouth were asleep in allowing Auckland to capture the whole of the tracle of |l|e Ol|iii'a. He thought the tiuie ripo for action, and that the business men of Men Plymouth should bestir themselves in the matter. After further discussion, the motion was put and carried, the following Committee being appointed:—Slcssrs. W. J. Penn, John Skinner, .1. 13. Conned, Newton King, and \V. Kerr.

The -iiibjwt of the deviation nf the railway line through New Plymouth, agreed upon by the liailway Department, and in connection with which the preliminary work has been done, was introduced by the Chairman, who suggested thai the Chamber should pass a resolution approving of the proposed work. After brief discussion, it was decided to take no action.

ADVKKTISIXd TAKIXAKI. The chairman, referring to advertising Taranaki ;ii tlie forthcoming exhibition at Christehureh, thought il would be a wise move lo gel up a souveuir of the province, giving particulars of its main features, etc., for distribution at the "Kxhibitiuii. He suggested that representatives id' the Chamber, the Borough Council and the Harbor Board, confer on the subject. .He moved tliat it be :m instruction to tlie executive to give effect to the suggestions. Mr K. C. Hughes seconded.—Carried. ' M>'fin- of Mynox. Notice ol; motion by Mr ftlaiidish vras given as follows: "Thai (lie (iownimcut be respectfully requested to place .Csuo on the estimates I'or the ensuing year in aid of prospecting the Ivaitakc and l'atna ranges.