Chamber Welcomes Trade Promotion Body

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29767, 9 March 1962, Page 15

Chamber Welcomes Trade Promotion Body

With one member dissenting. and after considerable criticism of “monopolistic producer boards." toe council of toe Canterbury Chamber of Commence last evening resolved to send a telegram to the Minister at Overseas Trade (Mr Marshal]) congrattriating turn on the •forward-looking move in toe establishment and naming of the Trade Promotion Council." M'ving that the telegram be sent. Mr J. Boyd-Clark said that the council was extremely well balanced, and included a former president of the chamber. “The council is nearly 10 years too late, but it still can do some good,” Mr BoydC’ark said. “The Associated Chambers of Commence, and this chamber in particular, have been pushing for an export development council.” Mr Boyd-C'ark read a newspaper report in which ' one producer board representative" was quoted as say. ing: "It may be a good thing to have this Trade Promotion C -uocil so that we can sell some washing machines and other manufactured goods abroad, but so far as export of farmers' produce is concerned that is our business, and we believe we can handle our business as well as. if not better than, anyone else.”

“That is a very, very serious statement and one, I feel, that this chamber should regret in principle." Mr Boyd-Clerk said. The implication was that the producer boards firmly believed that they were the only section of the people

who could make an export effort. “You should take back to Federated Farmers the attitude of this chamber. and I am sure it is the feelsn-g of the chamber, that that kind of remark is going to do nothing but harm to this country.” Mr Boyd-Clark said to a fellow member of the chamber. Mr D. H. Butcher. "I don’t agree with Mr Boyd-Clark.” said Mr H, H. Williams. “My knowledge of producer boards is little, nor am I informed too much on the work of the producer boards. But I feel that this new council is an insult to some of the producer boards and to the work that they have put in. They are certainly doing the bulk of exporting. “I can't see that this new council will export New Zealand-made goods. I can't see New Zealand-manufac-tured goods being exported much because the cost of production is too high to compete with other countries. I think there should be an inquiry into this.” Mr Williams said.

“I think this matter of the new council should be referred to the Associated Chambers of Comerce before being praised.” Mr R. H. Clark: It has been the clear-cut policy of the Associated Chambers to support the establishment of an export development council for many years. Mr Butcher: Mr Boyd-Clark had an appendage to his motion in which he expressed remarks about producer boards to which I take exception.

The president (Mr ■P. M. MacSha.net ruled that discussion be confined to Mr Boyd-Clark's motion of congratulation. The motion was then voted on, only Mr Williams voting against it. Mr Mac Shane. in order to “clarify the discussion," then said that the Associated Chambers in asking for the establishment of an export development council had always asked that it include all people interested in exports in New Zealand. “Only recently the Associated Chambers' executive approached the Government to ask that all interested parties be represented on the council because it was apparent that some interests apparently. and with no known reasons, were against the establishment of the council. It was apparent that these persons were only interested in primary exports." Mr McShane said. Mr E. C. Hunt: We my make the best butter and the fattest lambs, but if certain countries don't want to buy we have to readjust ourselves. It is the same with manufactured goods. We have got to have the range from the cheapest to the best—and so have the farmers. The whole country has got to wake up and be export-minded—to sell where we can, not only where we want or would like to. “The main criticism of the producer boards.” Mr Hunt added, “has been that they are monopolies. If other people were given the opportunities in finding outlets for produce they would find them." Mr Boyd-Clark: Ever since the chambers of commerce began to urge the establishment of an export development council they made it clear that all they wanted was co-operation with producer boards. This has been clear since 1954. when the first joint meeting of chambers and producer, boards was held. “Baiting” of Farmers Mr Butcher: Mr BoydClark has always baited farmers at these meetings, and it looks as though he always will (laughter). Mr R. E. Smith: What we want is a greater degree of co-operation a combined effort to stimulate our exports. Mr Clark: The statement by Mr Williams that our prospects of developing exports of manufactured goods are virtually nil should be rebutted. Already we are exporting hundreds of lines. I know they don’t add up to millions of pounds, but we can do it and we have got to do it. Mr Boyd-Clark: If Mr Williams does not know that the chamber favoured an export development council he must have slept through meetings for eight years. Mr Williams: I have been to more meetings than you have, and slept more (laughter).

On the motion of Mr R. B. MicNish, the council decided to congratulate Messrs R. D. Iles. J. R. Maddren, and S. Mair on their appointment to the Trade Promotion Council. Mr McNish said that Messrs Iles and Mair had experience in the export of primary produce and should help to achieve "concord" in the whole export effort.