The annual general meeting of the mem bera of the Chamber of Commerce was held at 3 p.m., yesterday. Present—Messrs G. Or. Stead (president), E. W. Roper, F. Jenkins, L. Oaro, W. Day, W. D. Meares, H. Thom son, O. B. Taylor, W. E. McDougal, W. R. Mitchell, W. D. Wood, D. Oaro, Louisson. Cameron, Fletcher, Ohrystall, J. Anderson, P. Cunningham, A. O. Wilson, Oonrial, Graham, Nathan, R. Allan, Tooaey, Inglis, Palmer, J. A. Bird (secretary). • The Secretary read the balanoe-sheet, which Bhowed a balanoe in favor of the Chamber on the assets and liability account of £599 lis Id, and a balance in the Bank on receipts and disbursement aocount of £69 lis id. The balanoe-aheet was audited by the auditors. The report of the committee was read by the President as follows :—

Your committee beg to present the twenty first annual report of thia Chamber, and in so doing are pleased to be able to state that ia their opinion the depression which existed at the time of the last annual meeting haß, to a certain extent, passed away. At that date money was almost unobtainable, even on the best securities, while at the present time large sums are seeking investment at comparatively modest rates of interest. The prevailing depression has lately caused additional attention to be given to the manufacturing and industrial intereste, and we take thia to be one of the most pleasing features' in our future prospecta. We may especially refer to the great increase in the output of our local coal mines. Cheap-eoaTwill be an immense advantage to existing mannfactoriea,, and wul also be a powerf _l;_id ; in the development of onr industries. In general commerce business ha 3 been conducted upon a more prudent basis than for some years past, and the result that latterly a marked diminution is noticeablein the extent and number of commercial failures. Your committee beg to point out that in addition to the usual tables of imports and exports a lithographed plan of Lyttelton Inner Harbor is appended to the report, which shows the. large area of 109 acres of deep water, the extensive wharfage accommodation available, aa well aa the site of the graving dock, now in course of completion. 