HEAVILY DEFEATED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 252, 24 October 1931, Page 10

HEAVILY DEFEATED.

AUCKLANDERS' RESIIT.

TO REDUCE WHEAT DUTIES

CANTERBURY'S TACTICAL WEST,

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON,. Friday,

An attempt to pass an Auckland remi,t advocating the withdrawal of, or a further reduction in, the sliding duties on wheat and flour was defeated at the conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce to-day. Mr. A. F. Wright (Canterbury) rose to a point of order as. soon as the remit had been reached. He reminded the chairman, tiiat many hours had been spent on the same subject at last' year's conference, and suggested that further consideration be forgone.

This unexpected move considerably unsettled the. conference,' and it was at the mercy of several motions for abandonment or postponement until finally the discussion of the remit began. Two speakers, from Auckland and one from JJargaville were the only contributors, and the tactical silence of the Canterbury delegates possibly had a good deal to do with the remit being finally thrown out by a large majority.

The remit-read as follows: "That this conference welcomes the decision of the Government to revise downward the sliding scale of duties on wheat and flour, but suggests that in view of the worldwide fall in prices that has taken place during the last two years, if the Government will not withdraw the sliding scale altogether, a still further reduction is desirable. It is inequitable that one class in the community should be placed in a privileged position, at the expense of the community."

| Refusal To Withdraw. [ The. chairman, Mr. H. T. Merritt ['(Auckland), ruled against the point of | order. He coyld not support the contention that a matter already decided upon at a previous, conference should not be discussed again.

Mr. Wright : Well,'then, I must appeal to Auckland's good sense to withdraw it. Mr. H. Turner. (Auckland) said that Auckland could not withdraw it. Some .members felt a little differently about the subject from last year,

The chairman asked the conference to give him permission to apply the closure if the debate was not kept reasonably short, but Mr. Wright protested immediately that without ample time being granted they could not convince Auckland of the correct attitude to adopt, or break down its intense antagonism and municipal parochialism.

"Let Auckland Do Its Worst!" Wlien further speakers had urged the postponement of the. discussion, until • most -of the remaining business had been completed, Canterbury sprang its second surprise. Mr. W. Macliin said that he and his colleagues had a suggestion to • make. Let Auckland do its worst. The subject was fresh in the minds of those who attended the conference last year, and Canterbury was prepared to rely on their good sense to turn the remit down. The Canterbury delegates would take HQ part in the discussion. Mr. R. Turner then moved the adoption of the remit. During the whole of the conference, he said, the keynote had been economy. It seemed that everybody practised it except the wheat producers. The country must have cheap wheat and cheap flour, in the interests of everyone, , including other primary producers, who depended for their success on cheap living. The introduction of wheat duties had had an effect on exports, for tariffs had an unhappy knack of kicking back, and although they agreed that the wnea farmers should have protection, they thought that the protection was far too Dr. E. P. Neale (Auckland) had seconded the adoption of the remit, a silence fell. The Canterbury delegates maintained their attitude, and the on y other speaker was Mr. E. A, Harding (Dargaville). The remit was then, put, and wa~ rejected by a large majority.