CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20027, 8 September 1930, Page 18

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

ANNUAL REPORT. ACTIVITIES DURING YEAR. The annual meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, taking the form of a dinner, will be held this evening at the Winter Garden. The Minister for Education (Hon. H. Atmore) will represent the Government. x The 71st annual report (for the year ended July 31st 1930) states: ■With the ever-growing diversity of commercial interests it is necessary that the activities of Chambers of Commerce cover a wider sphere. Present world economic conditions are making an increasing demand for the urgent focusing of attention upon the pressing problems of the moment. Some of the more important of such matters are the effect upon the commercial future of our Dominion of Government taxation and ever increasing expenditure; the protection of the interests of the individual against the incursions of locnl body and Government Departments into trade ou terms of unfair competition with private enterprise; Irade agreements, and treaties with other parts of the Empire; and the world problem of unemployment. The fact that the Chambers of Commerce in iVew Zealand realise the necessity of facing these problems is indicated in the extended activities which have recently been undertaken through the medium of the Wellington oflice of the Associated Chambers of Commerce or New Zealand. The Canterbury Chamber of Commerce has given wholehearted support to this step in the direction of co-ordinated effort toward the successful surmountihg of the difficulties which the Dominion has to face, confident that by a combination of effort the business men of the Dominion may do far more to stimulate the progress of the country than has ever heretofore been attempted. The economic bulletins issued by this Chamber, in conjunction with the Economics Department of Canterbury College, continue to be cordially received, not only by the Press of the Dominion but overseas, and . the circulation is showing a steady growth. The experiment .instituted last year of publishing bulletins in conjunction with Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, and the Economics Department of Canterbury College, on matters pertaining to primary production, has proved an unqualified success. The circulation has increased enormously since the first numbers were published, and requests for copies are being received, not only from all parts of the Dominion, but many other countries, including Canada, United States, Ecuador, and Australia. In order to keep members of the Chamber informed at shorter intervals of the work of the Council during the year, the suggestion approved last year ito circulate printed quarterly reports has been followed. The following classification is supplied- to indicate some of the matters which have engaged the attention of the Council during the year, and to which reference is made in the quarterly reportsShipping: Direct shipping to South Island ports, overseas steamers' first and final- ports of- call, South IslandMelbourne steamer service, s.s. Maui Pomare itinerary, Lyttelton ' Harbour , Board charges. Transport: Eailway matters, congestion at Chxistdhurch goods sheds, retiming of ferry train, South Island highways,' direct access to the sea, Ivewis Pass road. Postal-Matters: City collections, and deliveries, North Island ina.il, aerial mails, United Kingdom parcels /post (Panama or Australia), telephone communications, Christ church-Greymotitb circuit, long distance telephone conference, Christchurch automatic telej phone exchange, telephone toll charges. Customs: Correspondence with Importers' and Exporters' Association of U.S.A. on United States tariff,-provis-ion of safe for documents at Customs House, Christchurch, non-acceptance of ■Customs entries by Department. Farming Matters: . Agricultural and pastoral' research, land taxation, wheat duties. Unemployment: U.S.A. , Unemployment Committee activities, Soldiers' Civil Be-establishment League, loans for unemployment Telief. Parliamentary Bills: Slaughtering and Inspection Bill, Transport -Bill, Shops and Offices Act. Education: Vocational guidance, commercial education, Chamber of Commerce examinations. Canterbury Publicity: Overseas en- ■ quiries, collection of funds for publication. pf pamphlets', conjointly with Can- " terbury Progress League. Manufacturing Industries: Visit to Christchurch factories,, manufacturers' • exhibition building. ' Electricity: Arapuni undertaking, Lake Coleridge breakdowns. Empire Congress. . In May of this year a Congress of Empire Chambers of Commerce was held in London, when the Associated . Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand were represented by Mr W. Machin, who was also the representative of the .Canterbury Chamber. It is understood • that the next Empire Congress will be held in New Zealand in 1933, and, as this will be the first Congress held in the Dominion it is undoubtedly a mat- ' ter. for congratulation that New Zealand is to ;be favoured "with a visit from commercial leaders from ' all _ parts of our Empire. New Zealand business men will, look. forward to the coming Congress as art important event in the county's commercial progress. ' Traiie enquiries continue to come to the Chamber's office from all parts of •fhe .world and in a number of languages. These are all available, sometimes with catalogues and price lists, to members interested, and reference is made to all enquiries' received in the'quarterly lists which,, are citculated. New. Zealand manufacturers are invited to forward particulars to the secretary when they are desirous of placing the agency for their products in other parts of the Dominion or overseas, or /of bringing attention to articles with * which .they consider they may be-able to serve the business community. Notice of these enquiries will be included in the usual way in the quarterly lists. For meetings and conferences the Council Chamber is in continual demaiid, and it is a common experience for visitors- to/the City to make-special mention of the comfort, convenience, and spaciousness of the meeting hall. Members owe much to. those councillors who by their forethought originated the idea , of this Ghamber's occupation of its, present premises. The Chamber continues to take a. sympathetic interest in matters which affect either directly or indirectly the prosperity of the community, and representatives of the Chamber are frequently called upon «to attend public, meetings on matters of infinite variety. Every opportunity is sought to assist individual members in their businesses, and many cases could be quoted where direct, and valuable • service has been given. Members are-urged take advantage'""of the facilities available by personal application to tho president or the secretary. The audited balanee-sheet ana wveime account Jtor the year end®d

July 31st, 1930, are attached; it will be noticed that the Chamber's credit balance at the bank has increased by approximately £IOO, despite the fact that the Chamber has paid £2OO to the Associated Chambers of Commerce as its share towards the funds for extending the activities of that organisation. The Council desires to extend sincere thanks to members of the various sectional committees for the wholehearted co-operation and valuable assistance which have been given during the year, and also to the newspapers for the valued publicity Which has been given to the Chamber's activities and the liberal space which has been accorded to the reports of its meetings. The balance-sheet discloses a credit balance at the bank of £.205 12s (id and in the petty cash fund of £lO. During the year expenditure exceeded income by £4l 10s Bd. Quarterly Report. The quarterly report states: The Chamber's attention was drawn to a departure from tho usual procedure on tho part of the Customs Department in refusing to accept' Customs eutries until the arrival of vessels in Lyttelton. It was feared that this action on the part of the Department would affect the incidence of any increased Customs duties, and that by reason of the fact that most cargo steamers coming to New Zealand made their first calls at. North .Island ports, South Island traders were threatened with having to pay higher rates of duty on the same class of goods out of the same ships than merchants in the North Island,, who had landed their goods prior to revisions coming into operation, As a result of: correspondence with the Minister for Customs and the support and co-operation of other Chambers of Commerce throughout the Dominion, the previous practice was reverted to, and the Department was authorised to aceept entries at any port as soon as the vessel arrived at. her first port of discharge in New Zealand. Lewis Pass road: In response to a request from the Greymouth Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber's Transport Committee gave consideration to the claims of the Lewis Pass highway and pronounced in favour pf its construction, provided the maintenance and improvement of tho present road, via Otira gorge, involving the construction of the Waimakariri river bridge were in no way prejudiced. In this connexion it is desired to acknowledge tno valuable assistance of the Canterbury Progress League. _ Loans for unemployment relief: The Council reaffirmed its previous pronouncement that local body loans should ! be raised only with the sanction ot the ratepayers, and a remit to this effect will be submitted to the forthcoming conference of the Associated Chambers. Transport Bill: The Chamber s Parliamentary Bills Committee has given consideration to tho possible presentation of the Transport Law Amendment Bill this session. The progress of this legislation will be closely watched, as . the Chamber is desirous that the interests of private enterprise in connexion with transport shall in no way be prejudiced. , I Hotel accommodation in Christchurch: , The Chamber acknowledges its indebt- | edness to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce for protesting to the Publicity Department against a very misleading announcement which appeared m a London newspaper, intimating that hotel charges in Christchurch ran as high as £125 per week. Steps nave been taken to secure the correction or this statement, and endeavours are . being made by the New Zealand Tourist and Publicity Department to prevent the. publication, of misleading statements j>£ this, .nature, in the future. Hire agreements: As a result of ,a request from a North Island Chamber, a special- committee has been set np to go into the question of hire purchase agreements and registrations. Aerial mails: The development of aerial mails thr'oilghbtit the world has now made it possible for advantage to be taken by New Zealand correspondents of air mails- in other countries in order to' speed up the delivery of their letters,. and the Chamber looks forward to.the time when an aerial mail will be established to bring the South Island into a more advantageous position, by ensuring the delivery of San Francisco and Vancouver mails in time for reply (also by air mail) by the steamer carrying the replies of North Island correspondents. Arapuni: This Chamber has supported the requests of other Chambers of Commerce throughout the Dominion, that the Government should take steps to secure a thorough examination of the position by 1 independent engineering authorities from outside New Zealand. Wheat duties: The question of wheat duties has again come into prominence by Tea'son 'of proposals in the unemployment report that stock feeds should be admitted into New Zealand free of duty. The Chamber is co-operating with other organisations interested in presenting a case for the retention of the duty on wheat and other grains.