Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 16 May 1857, page 5


CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

A meeting of the Chamber was held at the Hall of Commerce at two oclock yesterday,

convened in compliance with a requisition, signed by seve-al of its members, for the

purpose of considering the propriety of urging the Government of this colony to co-rporate with that of New South Wales in the establishment of a steam postal service by way of Panama Thirty members were

present.

The VICE PBESIDENT (Mr Francis)

ercupied the chair, and read to the meeting j the requisition referred to together with his; leply to the Barae He then congratulated the Chamber upon its being again enabled to meet together to deliberate on mattera purely commercial, after the, late exciting _ poli-tical contests and proceeded to read the following communication re-cently received from the Secretary oi the Chamber of Commerce of New South.

Wales, tog thei with the annexed memorial,

ti erein n fared to which were published ia j the Argus >( Wedne day -

Chamber of Commerce, !

Sydnoy, 5th May, 1857

Sir -I nm instructed to inform jon that the at-l tention of this Chamber has lately bcon diroetod to a lioposal em¿natlngflorn tho Rojal Mall Company,, through theil agont, Mr Wotton, for the establish n ont of a monthly steam communication with Entr

lal d via Pinama

Bel ovin^ that the qu< stion Is ono v» hich vory naturally affects tho interests of all the Australian colot les, this Ci ambor desires to invito the co opora lion of yoma in furtherance of the project

, Meanwhile, I bog to submit for your consideration In copy of the momonal presented bj tho Chambor to

1 lo Excolloncv tho Governor Gonoral, together with that of a serlos of resolutions passed at an influential mid nuuicrouslj attondod mooting; of tho citizens hold hero on tho 29th ult

I havo the honour to be, Sir,

\ Your obedient servant,

, ALF\ TIIOMPSOV, Secretary f Secretaij of the Chamber of Commerce,

Melbourne

MFMOnlAti

The following Is tho momonal -" Maj it ploaso your bxcolloncy

" Tho roprosontativo of nn Influential English coinpanj having ariived in this colony, with power to cntci into a contract for tho monthly dospatch of a line of stoamors between Sydney and England, via [Panama and the company in quostlon having

rcsnlvod not to o itor upon the undortakintr without lecelviiifj a subsidy of fifty thousand pounds por an i um, which amount, as your Excolloucy will recognise, is not so much a pocuniary gratification as an earnest 'of tho goodwill of the subsidizing parties, and tho colony of Now Zealand having volunteered to subfernie fifteen thou«and pounds of this amount, your memorialists would oarnestiv entreat your Excolloucy to urge upon your Council and tho Parliament of New South Wales the advisabilitj of according the balanco of tho subsidy required, to say, thirty flvo thousand pounds, for tho establishment of a monthlj steam communication botween Sydnoy and Southampton, via Panama, for the folio« lug rea-

rons -

"Firstly-That from the amount that would b3 oxponded iii Now South Wales by the Company por foi ming this contract, and the rovonuo that would acciuc trom postages under it, thoro is every proba-bility that, if not direetlj remunorath o, it would provosclf supporting

"Seoondlj -Ihat as this Uno of stoam postal ser vice would bo maintained entirely by colonial re

souicoi, th io Is less chanco of Its bolng Interrupted by any clrcu st tuces that might occur to disturb tho peace of "? uropo, the winch has already intorfored vi Hil steam communication botu ecu England and this colony, and which, according to the wording of tho existing contract with tho European and Australian Compiim might at any timo occur again

' lhirdlj -lliat two andahalf yearsof tho prosent i ostol contract will have expired before the proposed lint, via Paulina could come into oporation

Fourthly -That vi hilo the number of days at sea -w oultl not bo greater than it is under the present eon tract, tho omenionco to passongors, in conscquenca of the lov.01 Kio of faros, would be Infinitely groator, and the probability of increased immigration thoroby much augmented

" Fifthly-Ihat as soon as tho submarine electric tolcgraph between England and America and tho con-tracts for which havo been accepted, ¡s laid down, the communication botwoon Europe and this colony would not exceod thirty to thirty Ave days

" SLithlj -That the im rcasiug trado of Now South Wales demands, if not a somi monthly stoam postal service at nil otcnts, tho extension of steam commit ideation to countries with which at present it has no direct postal corrcspondonoo moro particularly with the United States of America, tho imports from ?winch countn during the \oar 1850, ovcoedod the Taluo of tinco hundred and fortj thousand pounds

"And, lastlj-That bj the establishment of tho pro liosoil lino tho metropolitan position of Sydnoy tvoitll bo rostoiod bj making it tho first point of arrival and tho last point of uoparturo in the reception and despatch of English mails '

The Secretary of the New South Wales ?Chamber of Commerce had ftlsôenClôaêc! copy cf an advertisement of certain resolutions .unai.' noti6ly passed at a public meeting held «t " ! r>y on the evening of the 29th April,

which .> as follows -

1 That this mooting boing convinced of tho im portanco to this colony oi tho establishment of stoam communication with England ina Panama, has loarned witii gratlflcitlon that a representativo of tho Itoyil Mail Company has arilvod in Sjdnoj, ompowerol tj enter into a provisional contraot for such service

2 That in ordor that this colony may derivo the utmost adiantago fiom tho proposed sorvico from Panama this mooting Is of opinion that thj Gov crninont of Now South Wales should bo the solo contractors for the said son co, o/on at tho cost of the full sum required of £05 ODO per annum, rosorving the absoluto right to onter Into tub contracts it 1th the neighbouring colonies, to the exclusion of any private arrangements botween thom and the Itoj al Mail Companj

3 That this mooting Is firmly persuaded that th» advantagos to Now South Wiles from such connoxloa M îth tho \\ estorn Woild will ovontually moro than ropay the contemplated outlaj

4 That this meeting, having îecogrised in the pre-ceding resolutions tho lnfiuite importance to the colony of Itow South Wales of steam communl cation with England «¡a Panama, while pledging it self to support that soi vico, Is further of opinion that the Australasian colonies will, In their rapid progress, ero long roquiro a semi monthly communication with England and that it is obviously desirable that such communication should bo alternately bj way of Suoz

and Panama

This communication and its enclosures had been read to the committee of the Chamber on Monday last, and had been received with the almost unanimous expression of opinion that whilst the establishment of the pro-posed route was very desirable, the resolutions submitted afforded advan-tages to New South Wales which the committee thought would not, in the event of their being carried out, be participated in to a commensurate extent, by this colony. After some few further remarks, he con-cluded by expressing a hope, that some useful discussion would ensue, and that resolutio ns would bo proposed in addition to those prenared by a committee of the Chamber, who had that morning been engaged in the con-

sidération nf tim mifistion.

Mr. JOSEPHS ttíeñ" proposed the following

resolution :

That this Chamber affirms tho groat dosirabillty of ' steam postal communication with England via Pana-ma, iii addition to tho prosont Overland route, nnd would urgo upon tho Government any well-di-gested and approvod scheme for promoting; this object.

Mr. HAWTHORNE seconded the resolu-

tion.

Mr. SIOHELL objected to the vague and general wording of this resolution, which, he contended, in no respect,pointed at the pro-position which had come down from Sydney. He moved the following amendment upon

it :- -

That this mooting, although favourable to a steam postal communication fía Panama, cannot, with tho vague Information at prosont at its disposal, promise any support to tho Boyal Mail Company.

Mr. MOUBITZ seconded the amendment.

Mr. BOWDEN was speaking to the amend-ment, when it was suggested by

Mr. JOSEPHS that it would be very desi-rable, in order to enable the mem-bers of the Chamber to comprehend the bearing of tho resolutions whioh had been prepared for discussion by the Ooramittee, that they; should be read to the Cham-ber, without prejudice to their formal propo-sition by the members in whose hands they had been placed ; and that, in the meantime, Mr. Sichell should consent to the withdrawal of his amendment on the first resolution, a3 he (Mr. Josephs) thought that the object Bought by it had been anticipated by a resolu-tion not yet in the ordinary course before the

Chamber.

This course having been assented to, the remaining resolutions proposed by the Com' xnittee to be submitted to the meeting were read, as follows :

2nd. That beroi e a Uno via Panama can bo brought into operation, this port will afford all noeossary f acill ties for the repairs, ko., of tho largest steamers ; and, seolng ita moro central position and commarcial im-portance, it ought to bo made the laBt port of arrival

and first of doparture, as Sydney is of the existing line

.«ia Suoz.

8rd. That this Chamber, whilst fully alivo to the importance of opening a Uno of steam communication to England via Panama, beforo pledging itself to anj scheme, consldors it advisable that air. Wotton slioult Sut himsolf in direct communication with this Cham

er for tho purposo of stating any proposals ho maj be empowered to make on behalf or tho Company li »epresonts, whioh would equally próvido for goaora

I Mr. BO VVDEN then continued his remarks. He believed that the main thing which this colony had to do in the matter was to pro-vide for the accommodation of the large steamers engaged in the trade. Although th« European Company had hitherto giveu no great amount of satisfaction, he knew that all the mon connected with it were of au independent spirit not likely to be daunted by ordinary difficulties, and that if the con-tract could be carried out they were tho peo-

ple who would do so.

Mr. SIOHELL having heard the subsequent resolutions, read, felt now, disposed to press his amendment. He objected that the Chamber possessed no guarantee that Mr. Wotton was an accredited agent, or

that ho was anything more than a mere ad-

venturer.

Mr. LORD thought that there were not tvva person» ia the room who would not vote ia favour of the fust resolution, affirming tha. desirability of establishing the route; and.as the amendment of Mr. Sichell had no refer-ence whatever to that point, he trusted ha would withdraw it for the present.

Mr. SICHELL consented to do so.

Mr. FRANKLYN briefly supported tha resolution, which was put by the Chairman,

and carried unanimously.

Mr. MTJIB then moved the second resolu-tion (as printed above). In doing 60 he felt that it was unnecessary to refer to the greater, commercial importance of Victoria than New South Wales, notwithstanding the metropo-litan assumption of the latter. With regari to the accommodation for large steamers and the facilities for their repairs, he thought that the commercial comnutuity, as well as the gemoral interest of the colony, might congratu-late themselves on the recent assumption of office by a number of business men who would bo able to carry out such objects, as well as bo the means of affecting other improve

MMr. G. MARTIN seconded the resolution.

BgA lengthened discussion ensued, and au amendment wasproposed by Mr.DRrSDALS, but not reduced to writing.

"TA'subsequent amendment was proposed by Mr.'SERVICE, , ^ it ,. tI

That tho Oliaiiber proceod to tho consideration of

tho third resolution,

which, after further discussion, was put aud

cflTricdi*

Mr. MONTEFIORE then proposed tha third resolution (as printed above). This motion, be said, had been prepared by tha commitfc in anticipation of some of the ob-jections which had been urged, under tha conviction that before the Chamber pledged itself to recommending the Government i> . co-operate with that of New South Wales, it was

deshable for them to ascertain what guaranto 3 they had of tho conditions of any contract which might be entered into being carried out. With reference to the observations of Mr. Sichell as to Mr, Wetton being probably an adventurer, he thought that the fact of that gentleman having been accompanied to Sydney by the accredited agent of the Now Zealand Góvernmont, afforded ample guaran-tee against any supposition of the kind.

Mr. NEÜHAUSS seconded the resolution.

Mr. FRAKLYN objected to support any measure on thosubject which took as a funda-mental rule the unfavourable position of Vic-toria in relation to New South Wales on the matter of arrival and departure of the steamers. Although he was aware that this subject cania more properly under the consideiation of the second resolution, it was in-separable from the one now under discassion, and ho felt that it would be necessary to oxpress nn opinion that any proposition which involved such an understanding would not be regarded favourably by the Chamber. He considered that Victoria should hold with the utmost jealousy any advantages which bho might possess, or acquire, of facilitating; her communication with the mother-country. He would therefore most strenuously oppo3a any proposition of the Chamber to give ta Now South Wales such an advantage in that îeBpect over Victoria.

Mr. BOWDEN, after some further discus-sion, moved, as an amendment

That tho President ho roquostod to call a special meeting of tho Olumbor for as early a day as con-venient, aftor tho doparturo of the next mall, for tho discussion of tho vvholo question, and of Hie propriety

of applying to the Government to subsldlio a mall linn

Irotn Panama.

Mr. JOSEPHS, in order that the whole sub-ject might receive more thorough investiga-tion at a fuller meeting of the Chamber than there was now time to devote to that purpose, seconded the amendment, which wai put and carried.

The meeting then closed.

BRIGHTON ELEOTION.-The declaration of the poll for the Brighton election takes plac Î to-day at noon, in front of the Little Brighto a

Hotel.

BIRTHDAY BALI,.-We find that a com-mittee, comprising the names of some of our leading colonists, has already been formed for making the requisite airangements for a public ball to be given at the Exhibition on the anniversary of her Majesty's birthday. I£ IB supposed, under the circumstances of Sir Henry Barkly's rocont domestic bereavement, to be intended in substitution of the enter-tainment usually given on that day by her Majesty's representative. Application for tickets t may be mode to the honorary secretaiy, Lieutenant Richards, 40th Regiment, at the mess buildings, in Lonsdale-Btreet west.

THE BENEVOLENT ASYLUM.-The now wing of tho Benevolent Asylum, in aid of which « Bazatr wa3 held in the Exhibition building in November last, has now been advanced to tho completion of the basement story, and promises eventually to be a veiy commodious and handsome addition to the present struc-ture. The new wing will be 95 feet 8 inches in length, and 61 feet 6 inches in width, and will contain, in the basement, large storage ?accommodation. On the ground floor will b3 the board-room, 28 feet by 28, with a walting room, and a physician's room, l8 feet square. There will be also a surgeon s room, 23 feet by la,feet; a dispensary, 21 feet by 15 feet with a sitting and bed-room attached ; two bath-rooms and clothes' store. The first floor is approaohed by front and back staircases, the former of which is of stone, and the back for the use of officers aud attendants. This floor contains two largd wards, 40 feet by 28 feet, and 32 feet by 23 feet, and 14 feet high, a ward 21 feet by 16 feet, and a smaller one, 16 feet by 14 feet, with a nurses' and operating-room, ]abôratory,_ bath-room, and closets. The at-tic story is arranged in a similar manner. Altogether there will be additional beds and rccommodntlon for one hundred persons. The subject of water supply and ventilatioa bns received a great deal of attention, but probably not more than its importance de-mands. The building is being erected under the superintendence of Mr. Alfred L. Smith, architect, of Temple-court, who has been for rome years connected with the institution, nnd whose plans were recommended for adop-tion by the Honourable the Commissioner of Public Works. The cost of the basement story, already completed is £2,000, and thal total expense of erection will probably not fat

Ehort of £8,000. Tenders are now being procured for the shell of the building, and it iï likely that there may aiise a necessity for a still further claim on the generosity of tha public, which, munificent as it has been, eau ecarcely be devoted to a worthier or moro ne-cessary object. We believe thero are few among the ladies of Melbourne who would re-fuse, it need were, to give their valuable aid

towards another Bazaar.

SUICIDE.-Information was on Thursday afternoon brought to the police that a mart had been found hanging to a tree at tho head of Dead Dog Gully. Mr. Inspector Kirk, with two troopers, immediately proceeded ta the spot. The body was fiist discovered by a person of the name of Merkett, who was crossing the ranges. It has not yet been iden-tified. The unfortunate man was about five feet seven inches in height, of a sallow com-plexion, wore a small moustache, with a few hairs on the chin, and had the appearance of not being in the habit of shaving. He had on a blue cotton shirt, moleskin trousers, strong knee boots, worn inside the trousers, with heavy nails in the soles, and a lightcoloured oil-skin coat. On the ground near him were found half a bottle of brandy, a large pruning-knife, a light-coloured felt hat, a tin billy full of water, some tea and sugar, tobacco and pipe, and a merino waistcoat with bone buttons. The sum of seven shil-lings and threepence was found in his poc-kets. The limb of the tree on which he was hanging was seven feet from the ground; and it appears that in order to reach the noose of the rope, which was a clothes-line, he had rolled a log to the foot of the tree, and built a scaffold of boughs and stones, which he had kicked from under him in order to drop. There was every appearance of its hav-ing been a case of determined suicide. Tha unfortunate man had apparently beau hang-ing upwards of twenty-four hours, as his

limbs vsere perfectly rigid.-Bendigo Adver-

tiser.

A MONSTEtt PBOM MIE Mt/£tEAï.-4 COd-fiäU. . weighing upwards of eighty pounds, was re-ceived on Thursday night at the Victorian Olub, to which it was presented by Messrs. Macord and Parker, of Sandhurst, Dr. Roche, »he Coroner, defrayingthe cost of ita trans-mission to this city. The monster arrived ia excellent condition, and was placed ou yester-day's bill of fare as a gratuitous dish-a regular/ita« de resistance-& giant so bulky aï almost to defy diminution by the assaults oE tho gastronomes. The quality of the fish w \% as unexceptionable as its quantity, its flavour; xestmbling that of turbot, and it furnished?

faro to an immense numbei of the freaueatersr

of the club.

SEMPSTRESSES' WAGES.-Some' statement« having been made by Mr. DOD, in his various! addresses to the electors, to the effect that sempstresses were working for miserably Beauty wages, in some cases as low as is, a

day, inqulr es were made, and it waa ascertamed that the lowest rate of remuneration " to females engaged in that occupation is 15J per week" with board and lodging, and thai ft ranges from that to £S perweefc boorah»I

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