Commerce Congress.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19941, 30 May 1930, Page 14

Commerce Congress.

It is almost exciting to learn to-day that New Zealand has been chosen as the meeting place for the next Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the Empire. The twelfth Congress, now in session in London, was opened at the Guildhall by the Prince of Wales on and, was attended by more than 900 delegates representing Great Britain and the governing Dominions and India. The New Zealand representation was nine, and it is a signal honour that this small party should have had influence enough on the other delegates to bring about this very happy decision. According to the cable messages Canada, Australia, and the West Indies were also eager to 'entertain the delegates to the 1933 Congress, but all agreed to stand aside in favour of New Zealand. The present Congress will devote itself chiefly to subjects connected with inter-Empire commercial relations, and especially to Imperial preferences, the promotion of inter-Empire trade, and the lowering of inter-Empire tariffs. It seems i likely, however, that the settlement of these difficult questions will be left to the next Congress, which will have the recommendations of the present Congress to work on, as well as the trend of trade in the meantime. The thirteenth Congress should therefore rank as one of the leading events in the history and development of Empire trade, and it is very pleasant to think that it will meet in New Zealand, and that many of the delegates will visit us here in Christchurch.