WELLINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8351, 7 February 1907, Page 7

WELLINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, February 6. At the annual meeting of the -Chamber of Commerce; to-day, the President (Mr G. Shirtcliffe) said that the question of preferential trade Within the Empire was still in the air, though little or no actual progress appeared to have been made. The total import and export trade of the colony for 1906 amounted to twenty-eight millions, ,of which seventy per cent, was done with Great Britain, 19£ per cent, with other British possessions, 7 \ per cent, with the United States, leaving only 3 per cent, of the total to foreign nations. He expressed the opinion that it would be to the advantage of the colony to offer Britain a reasonable measure of genuine preference irrespective of any return the Imperial authorities might or might not be able to make. Regarding our exports, the fact should not be lost sight of that an increase was very largely a price and not a quantity increase, and that, so far as it could be judged, a continuance of, good times in the colony during the next few years depended to a very great ' extent upon maintenance of _ values rather than on any substantial increase in the volume of exports that might be expected. Traders should bear in mind that the present abnormally high prices for our produce could not be expected to continue, and should there be anything like' a severe slump the reaction would probably be severely felt. The prospects for the current year appeared to be excellent., Everything pointed to the colony; being in a highly prosperous condition and the only danger ahead that one could foresee is that such good times might tend to an extravagant standard of living and over speculation on the part of traders and others. Referring to the trade of Wellington)he said that during the last four years it had increased by 45 per cent., Lyttelton by 21 percent., Auckland by 19 per cent., and Dunedin by 15 per cent. The presentment made by the Grand Jury, yesterday, in regard to the practice of granting special prit vate discounts to officers of public bodies was referred to by Mr D. J. Nathan, who said it was a great pity that the name of the firm concerned in the jury's reference was not given. The Chamber should follow \ this thing up and see that the legis- . lation necessary to check it was passed. A resolution was passed directing the Council of the Chamber to consider the matter and make representations to the Government.