'TELEGRAPE COMPANIES, The Chamber of Commerce, at a special general meeting, held this' morning at their Rooms, City Hall, passed a series of resolutions the pith of which was to protest against the recent sudden increase of rates by the Joint Telegraph Cos., the action of the Imperial Government in sanctioning the Telegraph Convention without any reference to the Chambers of Commerce interested, and to pledge themselves to support any Company that, while providing an efficient service, will charge reasonable telegraphic rates between the Far East and Europe and America, 'The first resolution was proposed' by Mr. T. Jackson, wud ina brief but pithy speech seconded by the Hon. J. J. Bell-Irving. The Hon. T. H. Whitehead, in proposing the second resolution, reviewed the history of previous attempts to get this Telegraph Convention sanetioned, referred to the memorial t the Queen on the subject got up by the Chamber, and drew attention to the pledges: given by the Government not to sanction avy convention of the kind without. previous reference to those interested, and dwelt on the prosperous financial condition of the companies rendering the increase so unnecessary and inexcusable. Mr. D. R. Sassoon, who seconded this resolution, made occasion, Phe Chairman, who. proposed his first appearance as a speaker on this the third and last, resolution, warned the Telegraph Companies that they were in earnest, and said that ifacable were laid from Canada or the United States to the Far East it would be their duty to support it. He hoper, however, the Telegraph Companies would see the wisdom of moderating their charges. Mr. Michaelsen, who any other competing company and charac. seconded, strongly advocated support tensed the resolution as the most important. Mr. Granville Sharp supported the resolution in an eloquent little speech which after paying a tribute to the companies for the manner in which: they: had conducted the service in the: past, said they had assumed " role which ho: for one never expected, in taking up: the position of foes of the development of that trade it was their interest to foster. He was loudly applauded. The meeting was most unanimous throughout and frequently applauded the speakers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.