HON. A. M. MYERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 282, 26 November 1921, Page 5

HON. A. M. MYERS.

FAREWEIiED BY COMMERCIALS. OBEAT LOSS TO DOMINION". Members of tfte Aeckland Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Cluh assembled in force at the clubhouse, Durham Street, this morning to cay fare- j , well to the Hon. Arthur Myers, a past • president and life member, who is | shortly going to England to live. Mr. ! Clifton, the president, voiced the regret of the members at losing such a good friend aa Mr. Myers, who was held in the. greatest esteem and regard by all of ■ them. The club would not only be losers by Mr. Myers' departure, but Auckland would lose, and, indeed, the whole Dominion would lose. (Hear, hear.) It -was a calamity to New Zealand that Mr. Myers was going to leave this country. I Among the many activities of Mr. Myers that were specially stressed by Mr. Clifton was Mr. Myers' work in Parliament, notably as Minister of Munitions and : Railways. Had Mr. Myers been longer jin charge of the railways, said Mrl CliX ton, the railways would not be in their present state. (Applause.) Mr. Mrors had left his mark on the public life of , New Zealand, and would carry with him the very beet wishes of the club and its members. (Applause.) Mr. McLean, the past president, wlio proposed the health of Mr. Myers, spoke j of the great loss that would be caused i by the departure of their guest.! Referring to Mr. Myers' activities in Parliament Mr. McLean regretted strongly that there were not more commercial men in the House. Jt would be better for the 'country if there were. (Applause.) The health of Mr. Myers, who was received with cheers and the singing of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," was then honoured. Replying to the toast, Mr. Myers thanked the members for their kind remarks—remarks which he felt were altogether too kind. If he had done anything that had met with the appreciation of the people, that was all the reward he asked. He acknowledged the help his commercial training had been in anything he had been able to accomplish in Parliament. He agreed that it was a matter for regret that there were not more commercial men in politics, but he blamed the commercial men themselves for that; they should insist on some of their own people coming out in politics. Many of the activities of the Government centred round matters that demanded commercial " knowledge. In railways, for instance, the problem had a wonderful fascination for a commercial

man. There was a complete monopoly of the carrying business of the Dominion, and all "that was required was to pay interest on the £38.000.000 involved. He had been absolutely fascinated by the problems of the department, and had : spent night after night at the office when he was Minister. The best commercial brains of the community were required to assist the Government. (Applause). Mr. Myers congratulated the club on its activities in many spheres, ineludins charitable objects, and suggested it might go further, by organising, for instance, a monthly dinner at which subjects of interest could be discussed. He mentioned the improvement of the status of accountants as one of the subjects that might be tackled. (Hear, hear.) Referring to the outlook, Mr. Myers said the Dominion was going to have an anxious time during the next two years, but would pull through all right. There must be optimism, not wild optimism, but an optimism founded on something solid—they must work hard. Mr. Myers expressed great\hopes from the deliberations of the Washington Conference. He thought it would deal with financial and economic problems, as well as that of armaments. Personally, he believed that it would bo a good thing if the Allied debts were cancelled. We were all part of an economic unit, and what affected one part affected the whole unit. Referring to his new duties in London ,as the New Zealand representative on the board of directors of the National Bank Mr. Myers spoke briefly of the necessity for financial reforms, such as greater co-operation between the Bank of England and the other banks of the Empire in regard to exchange. Another thing lie thought should Ik fostered was the keeing of investments within the Empire instead of going to foreign countries. (Applause.) Before the members dispersed cheers were given for Mr. Myers and for Mrs. Myers and the family.