A general meeting of the Canterbury Cham ber of Commerce was held yesterday after noon. There waa a moderate attendance of members, and the President, Mi J, A. Frostiek, occupied the chair. The following new members were elected: —Messrs B. M. Molineaux, A. R. Inwood, W. B. Clarkson. and B. M. Lichfield. The President delivered the following address: — The business of the Chamber during the past few months has been completely over shadowed by the war. The attention of the members has been diverted from the peaceful occupation of trade and commerce to that of providing men and horses to assist the Im perial authorities in maintaining British su premacy in South Africa. The scenes wit nessed in this Chamber in connection with the War Fund will long be remembered. The enthusiasm of the people, and the thorough earnestness of the speakers, will, probably, itever be forgotten. Men of every shade of political and religious opinions stood shoul der to shoulder in defence of the great prin ciples of freedom. The Avork done was the result of no mere passing wave of patriot ism, but, if necessity arose, would be re peated again and again, for so long aa a shilling was left or a man to send, all would bd willingly surrendered for the grand old flag. It may be thought that the President of the Chamber of Commerce has no Tight to introduce anything that even by a stretch of imagination would be termed "Jingoism." It is not Jingoism, but, I trust, pardonable pride, that the members of this Chamber juave been privileged to help, if only in a email degree, to further the great work the Empire has undertaken. This Chamber is a unit in the great system of British com merce. British political rule in South Africa is of vital importance in. maintaining an open-door policy over that vast territory, and there is no doubt that the present war was a deliberate attempt to destroy British influence, and hoist the Dutch flag over the ■whole southern part of the continent. Great Britain's commercial supremacy must be considered, and, whilst wishing to avoid any lengthy quotations of figures, it might be well to remind ourselves of the world's mer chant marine. 