The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 84

Address of the Chairman. — Proceedings at Annual Meeting

Address of the Chairman.

Proceedings at Annual Meeting.

With the permission of the Chamber I will avail myself of the opportunity which our annual meeting affords of referring very briefly to our commercial position, and to the prospects of the year.

At our last annual meeting, in September, 1885, we had to deplore that our two main industries, the agricultural and pastoral, showed no signs of amelioration; and to this circumstance we attributed, in a large measure, the great commercial depression under which the Colony then laboured. This depression, so severe and so prolonged, has not been confined to New Zealand, but has prevailed all over the world, and has led to much consideration being given to the subject, with a view, if possible, to trace the cause and suggest a remedy, in New Zealand much attention has also been given to the subject, which has resulted in revealing to us the gratifying fact that, notwithstanding the depression, this Colony continues to make substantial progress.

Our Secretary for some years past has been in the habit of compiling from authentic sources, and appending to our annual reports, valuable statistics having reference to the various industries, as well as the trade generally, of the Colony; which are well worthy the attention of all interested in our material advancement.

It may be a surprise to some members to learn that during the last ten years the land under cultivation in New Zealand has increased from 2,377,402 acres in 1876, to 6,729,911 acres in 1886. And here I may remark that of the latter area a little over two million acres are land under grass, not previously ploughed and cropped, chiefly in the North Island, where the practice of preparing the land for English grasses is by burning off' the fern, a process in many instances as expensive and effectual as ploughing I hold, therefore, that this area can fairly be held to be land under cultivation.

It is at the same time worthy of remark that the return for agricultural labour in New Zealand exceeds that of any of the Australasian Colonies or the United States of America. The mean average of South Australian wheat crops is barely 8 bushels per acre; that of Victoria, about 12½ bushels; New South Wales, nearly 15 bushels; while the average product of land in the United States is from 18 to 20 bushels. The statistics of New Zealand show an average yield of nearly 27 bushels to the acre.

While the value of our exports for the year shows a falling off of £147,867, this deficiency would be converted into a surplus if account is taken of the increased price obtained in London for the wool shipped during the past season.

Our export of Wheat and Oats shows a falling oft of £240,565 on the former, and £10,398 on the latter, in all £250,943—the yield being:—
  • Wheat, 4,242,285 bushels, as against 6,866,777 bushels last year.
  • Oats, 8,603,702 bushels, as against 12,360,449 bushels last year.

This diminution in yield is entirely on account of the large areas thrown out of grain cultivation caused by the low prices ruling of late years; our farmers having directed more attention to Dairy Produce and Frozen Meat, two industries which show a decided increase in our list of exports.

The value of Butter and Cheese exported for the year amounts to £138,129, against £97,705 last year.

The total production according to the Government return being:-
For 1886. For 1881.
Butter, 12,170,964 lbs., against 8,453,815 lbs.
Cheese, 4,594,795 lbs., against 3,178,694 lbs.
The total shipments of frozen mutton for the year ending 31st August, were:—
  • 628,556 Carcasses, as against 507,428 for the previous year

Attention is only now being given in earnest by our settlers to the production of Dairy Produce, and the necessity for improvement in the manufacture by the aid of Dairy Factories; and in consequence several new factories have been added during the year to the number previously at work, while numerous others are in course of construction throughout the Province. We may reasonably expect therefore, that the export of Butter and Cheese will be largely increased from year to year.

Our principal market, hitherto, has been Australia, involving only a short sea voyage; but in view of the production being greatly increased next year, and reaching a point possibly beyond what can be taken off in that market, it would be well for those controlling our Factories to aim at producing an article capable of standing the voyage to Europe, and of being placed on the market there. This is the more needful as a favorable season in Australia might enable those colonies to produce sufficient for their own requirements, and thus deprive us of the outlet upon which we have hitherto been depending.

The total number of Sheep in the Colony, according to a return published by the Registrar-General, is 16,564,595; being an increase of 3,579,510 since 1881, and this notwithstanding that during last year
628,556 were Exported Frozen.
69,214 were Boiled Down.
97,579 were Preserved.
Total 795,349
There has also been a satisfactory increase in the quantity of wool exported for the year from
  • 80,324,631 lbs. in 1885
  • To 90,760,253 lbs. in 1886.

A large proportion of which would participate in the advance in prices at the June-July, and September Sales.

In the list of exports from Otago I notice two which have begun to assume large proportions. I refer to the export of Cattle and Horses. Of Cattle we exported during the year 706 head of the value of £11,075, and 3,020 Horses of the value of, £75,150.

While the active prosecution of public works in New South Wales occasioned a demand for Draught Horses in that Colony, and accounts to some extent for the large export of these, I think that this does not account altogether for the magnitude which that export has reached. Our neighbours over the water have come to realise our superior breed of Cattle, and will no doubt continue to improve their stock from Otago herds.

The prize lists of the recent National Cattle Shows of Victoria and New South Wales conclusively prove the very superior quality of New Zealand bred stock, particularly Clydesdale Horses, Ayrshire and Polled Angus Cattle.

Our industries and manufactures continue in full operation, and employ an increasing number of hands.

The woollen mills in Otago alone have worked 4,130 bales of wool, of the value of £43,365, and employ 600 hands.

The total output of coal in the Colony for the year amounts to 511,063 tons, against 480,831 tons last year, being an increase of 89,299 tons—the number of miners employed being 1,483.

In the midst of the depression that has so long prevailed, it must be gratifying to observe from the Savings Banks Returns that a large increase has taken place both in the number of depositors and in the amounts on deposit, affording evidence of a large and frugal population of what may be termed the working-class.

The deposits at the end of the year amounted to £2,142,729 being an increase of £216,119 for the year.

The falling off in the Colonial Revenue has been a source of uneasiness to most of us, and on account of the contradictory statements on this subject which have lately appeared in the public prints, I wired to Sir Julius Vogel to furnish me with correct information, and with the prompt courtesy which characterises that gentleman, I received a reply from him to the following effect:—That the Revenue receipts for the first six months are £57,000 (omitting smaller figures) less than the amount estimated, and while this fact cannot be gainsaid, the large amount may be in part accounted for by the fact that the Treasurer gave no notice this year of the Budget, and in consequence the commercial community did not take out of bond large quantities of goods, which they had been in the habit of doing. When a course like this is pursued, it leads to so much more being taken out of bond in succeeding months; the Treasurer therefore hopes that the natural course of trade not being interfered with, the last six months of the financial year, so far as Customs are concerned, will show better. The Treasurer also adds, that Stamps, Pastoral Revenue, and Passenger Traffic by Railway keep up well to his estimate. Altogether, the Treasurer is confident the year will wind up better than present appearances indicate; let us hope his anticipations will prove correct.

I have not referred to any of the numerous matters which have been dealt with by the Chamber of Commerce during the past year, as the Annual Report now in the hands of members render this in a great measure unnecessary. I now content myself by simply moving the adoption of the Report and Balance-sheet as printed and circulated.

Mr G. L. Denniston seconded the adoption of the report.

After some discussion, and one amendment, the report as printed was adopted.

Dr. RECEIPTS.£s.d.£s.d. To Cash in hand from last year ...145., Waste Paper ... ... ...181., Sale of Reports470., Use of Hall ... ... ...48 160., Rents ... ... ... ...32500., Donations ... ... ...81 160., Subscriptions219 16668137Balance ... ...33919£102199 EXPENDITURE.Dr.£s.d. £s.d.By Balance from last year ... ...40100132 106., Rates and Taxes ... ... ...., Interest on Mortgage31500., to Exchange Company20000., Bank Interest ... ... ...27175., Balance High School Medals ...3106., Cleaning Offices ... ... ...3420., Printing, Advertising, and Stationery3319., Printing Annual Report ... ...1336., Petty Disbursements ... ... 251011., Books and Newspapers ... ...2380., Secretary ... ... ...15000., Telephone ... ... ...800., Insurance on Building ... ...800 ., Repairs ... .... ... ... ... 31110 8885 15 11., Cash in hand ... ... ....334£102199By Balance ... ... ... £33919

Dunedin Chamber of Commerce.

Cash Account, from 1st July, 1885, To 30th June, 1886.

Dunedin, Examined and found correct—

John Davie.

Henry Houghton,

Secretary.