TRADE LEADERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 229, 26 September 1936, Page 7

TRADE LEADERS.

EMPIRE CONGRESS.

ARRIVAL OF DELEGATES.

MANY VISITORS.

Xotable visitors, men who figure largely in politics and commerce in the British Empire, will arrive in Auckland by the Aorangi to-morrow. Tliey are the main body of overseas representatives of Empire Chambers of Commerce, and they will, with others to arrive later, meet in Wellington on Thursday night next, in the most important commercial congress held in the Dominion. Every aspect of Empire commerce will be discussed by these men of wide experience. The topics will include matters of the greatest importance to the trade of every British country, also matters political —taxation, migration, air communication, obstacles to trade, shipping subsidies, monetary policy, calendar reform, in fact everything that could be expected to be a function of a trade parliament, for that is what the Federated Chambers of Congress exists to discuss.

The number of overseas delegates is 04, the party, including the wives, numbering over 100. With the New Zealand delegates there will be, including the wives, a total party of 195. Remits to be considered during the sittings of the congress number 42, and they cover a wide range of commercial and political subjects.

Distinguished President, First among the overseas delegates is Viscount Elibank, who will preside. He is president of the Federated Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire, Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Peebles, Scotland, and a director of several large commercial concerns. His career has been a romantic one. He has served in the Army, has been magistrate, Food Commissioner for Glasgow and the West of Scotland, Conservative member for the St. Eollox Division of Glasgow, retiring from the House of Commons in 1922. In 1927 he became a member of the House of Lords.

Sir Thomas Wilford, who is already here, and needs no introduction to New Zealanders, as chairman of the Council of the Federation will be Lord Elibank's first lieutenant.

Sir Albert Atkey is the deputy-presi-dent of the Associated British Chambers of Commerce and the Nottingham Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the executive committee of the federation. Since 1908 he has been a member of the Nottingham City Council and has successively been sheriff, alderman and Lord Mayor. He sat in the House of Commons from 1919 to 1922 as the Conservative member for the Central Division of Nottingham.

Mr. W. M B Birks, the Canadian delegate, is past-president of the Canadian Chamber and vice-president and pastpresident of the federation. He is also a past-president of.the Montreal Board of Trade. Mr. Alfred Bright, the Melbourne Chamber's delegate, is a past-president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of Australia. Mr. Samuel W. Broadhead, the Bradford delegate, is chairman of the Transport Committee and past-president of the British ' Wool Federation.

Mr. F. W. Cook is past-president of the Dudley Chamber and a member of the executive of the federation. He is also an ex-Mayor of Dudley. The Hon. John Wallace Dowgie will represent the Salisbury (Rhodesia) Chamber. He was a member of the Southern Rhodesia Government from 1924 to 1930, and High Commissioner for Southern Rhodesia in London from 1930 to 1934.

Sir Lewis Loucher, representing the Cardiff Chamber, was the member of Parliament for Cardiff East 1922-23, Cardiff Central 1924-29, and High Sheriff of Glamorganshire 1931. Mr. J. Arthur Aiton, delegate of the Derby and Derbyshire Chamber, includes among the positions he holds that of chairman of the "Derby Daily Telegraph." Auckland Programme.

The programme for the entertainment of the visitors, arranged by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, will begin on Monday morning at ten o'clock. The visiting delegates will be divided into two parties. One party will be taken for a motor run through the near environs of the city and_ partake of morning tea at Titirangi, returning to town for lunch. In the afternoon the second party will be taken for a similar trip. On Tuesday morning the visitors will leave for Hangatiki and Waitomo Caves and on Wednesday morning a special train will leave Hangatiki for Wellington. At National Park those delegates who went on to the Chateau will join this train, which will arrive at Wellington on Wednesday night about 9.30. On Thursday evening next, at Government House, a reception to the delegates and their wives and daughters will be given by the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, and Lady Galway, and on Friday the delegates will get down to the serious business of the congress. This will 'be opened at 11 a.m. by his Excellency in the concert chamber of the Town Hall. The congress will conclude on Wednesday, October 7, after which the delegates will set out on a tour of the Dominion, the official visit to the Dominion ending on October 30.