The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-24 00:00:00

TTIE ASSOCIATED CHAMBER OF

COMMERCE.

Yesterday morning the annual meetingof the delegates of
the Associated Chambers of Commerce commenced at the
Westminster Palace Hotel, Mr. Sampson S. Lloyd in the
chair. There was a very large attendance of members.
The subjects of discussion are upwards of forty, and are—
bankruptcy law reform, treaty of commerce with Spain
and Portugal, United States tariff, Canadian tariff, collec-
tion of the income and assessed taxes by the Inland Revenue,
income tax, assessment and collection of taxes, county
courts amendment, abolition of light dues on shipping,
county court admiralty jurisdiction, pilotage, coast lights,
new route to China, registration of partnerships, reduction
of postage on circulars, carriage of small parcels by the
Post Office, reduction of local postage, post-office tele-
graphy, decimal weights and measures, to-operation,
establishment of tribunals of commerce, ocean
postage, uniform international systems of coins, weights
and measures, foreign bills of exchange, technical educa-
tion, the rights of belligerents so far as they effect private
property at sea,accommodation bills, extra charges on goods
removed inland under bond, the equalisation of stamp duties
on inland and foreign bills, registration of trade-marks,
Government control of railways, factory Acts, carriage
of silk goods, &c., &c.
The report, a most voluminous document, was read, and
the CHAIRMAN congratulated the meeting on their tenth
year of existence. They had thirty-seven chambers asso-
ciated together, and, unlike some other public bodies, they
had a balance in the hands of the treasurer. He paid a
high compliment to the satisfactory movement that bad
attended their efforts in many ways; and, with respect to
the coming session, looked for an improved bankruptcy
law, and the regulation and protection of trade-marks.
Mr. PHILLIPS, of Bristol, moved the following
resolution on bankruptcy law reform : " That the
commercial community having endeavoured for the
last ten years past to obtain a satisfactory reform in the
bankruptcy law, and this association, as well as other
commercial bodies, having repeatedly expressed opinions
in favour of the bankruptcy law of Scotland without
success, which want of success is attributable to the
question being left in the hands of the Government for the
time being: Resolved, that this association do authorise and
request some independent members of the Commons House
of Parliament, to bring in a bill for carrying into effect the
desires of the commercial community in this respect, viz.,
the adoption of the Scotch system, as established under
the Act of as nearly as circumstances will permit,
and that in pursuance of this object, the bill brought into 1
the House of Lords by the late Lord Chancellor, Lord

Cairns, be referred to the members who may be selected

for the purpose. That some private member-
be requested
to bring in a bill as above described, and that a com-
mittee of thi3 association be appointed, empowered, and
requested to reader them all the assistance in their power,
in the name and on behalf of the association."
The following gentlemen were nominated as the com-
mittee : Mr. S. S. Lloyd, Colonel Akroyd, M.P.,. Mr.
Norwood, Mr. S. Morley, Mr. Hunt, and Mr. Bruton.
Mr. MottLEY, M.P., seconded the resolution, which was
carried unanimously after some discussion.

Mr. llaaT, of Leeds, proposed a resolution to the effect
that there rhould not be an abolition of imprisonment for
debt. He considered it would be advisable that the chamber
should express its opinions, so that the Attorney-General
might know what the Associated Chambers desired.
Mr. Mora,Ey, M.P., was strongly opposed to the
imprisonment of a debtor, and should hesitate before he
pledged himself in favour of that principle. He thought
that the abolition of imprisonment for debt would purify
the system of credit, and was, therefore, strongly in favour
of the abolition.

Mr. C. Norwood, M.P., for Hull, Mr. Birkin, of
Nottingham, Mr. Maxted, Mr. Barber, of Nottingham,
Mr. Lupton, of Leeds, Mr. King, of Plymouth, and other
gentlemen deprecated the abolition, and the resolution was
adopted by:thirty votes to eight, as follows :—"That this
association is of opinion that the abolition of imprisonment
for debt is uncalled for and inexpedient, inasmuch as it is
not productive of pressure upon the debtor." Several other
resolutions on the question of bankruptcy law reform,
embodying the principles involved in the resolution already
passed, were withdrawn. A resolution expressing the
desire of the Associated Chambers that the law of Ireland
should be assimilated to that of the United Kingdom,
and further, that on the insolvent trader should rest the
burden of proof that he had tried to act with honesty, and
kept his books reasonably clear, was carried.