CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 498, 4 May 1909, Page 9

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.

.CONGRESS OF THE-.'EMPIRE.' , . The Congress of .-Chambers of Commerco oi. ■; .tho., Empire;i to..be.'.heldvin Sydney,, at which j New, , Zealand .will bo. represented,, will., be. .'an , important commercial, gathering. Of the chamt bers invited,to: participate therenro about 136 J iriitlw United,"Kingdom,.about.32 in Australia 1 and New 'Zealand, Si from British North America, 58 from Africa, 8 from Central and South s America and the West Indies, 20' from. India, !■' Ceylon, China, Japan, •find Straits Settlements, 1. 2 from South Sea -Islands, ,'hnd 10 from British -chambers, in foreign-countries. ; . ; , ■' The 'subjects to be submitted to the tondon : Organising Convmitteo thtiiugh tlio Organising ■-■ Committee.ln Australia-, for* discussion by the ) congrtss will includsi—'- . ' -, - :■ .Draft -Allowahco oh -Wool.—l. That it is dev sirable that the draft allowauee of lib. periwt. '■ oh wool should. beaWislic'd. 2. That the ton.-' » don: Chamber of CoiiVJHerce be requested to com- « . muiiicate : with. - the - ' trade '-' organisations of -. France, , Germany,' Bolgnun. and the ~tJnitetl -. Sthtes of America, witha'view:of : taking such 0 joint aoUoHa'S may be "necessary to achieve the : _ abovti object-.: . ; - : ' : -. ' . 1 . Encouragement of British emigration -will re- • ceive attention. -The London chamber's motion ; on this subject will read:—, . ■ •'.'■ .; . ; 1,: . the -settlement. in adequate volume of .the Anglo-Saxon 'race in', the British, Domin- . ibhs is deserving , of tho ; constant.sftlicitude of • the Home and colonial Governments; who arc 1 hereby urged to.consider what : fuither or bettor : steps than those at , present;existing should bo J .token to elaborate .a-general State-aided scheme ' at reduced rates to., encourage emigration " : suitable settlers ■ under '.-well-considered cbntli--8 :tions."^Y::-.; v -;.::';;;■.: v ..-' . - :• -■ • . '.- : Chcap_.cablo 'commiitiicatioii will be con- , sidered in a motion reading:—"l hat, this coni- fei-ence, rscognisiiiß the inestimable boon that • would bo.conferred upon the Empire by, cheap J cable,-communication, .reopttimelitls to X'm { : various Chambers of Commerce throughout'tho ' Empire tlrnt 1 committees should' bo formed: ; by : «dch chamber to assist tho movement initiated ■- ;by,Mt. Hennik'er Heaton,' M.Pij for securing ,; the. greatest possible reduction, in- cable rates." :•' Another motion referring <to lift charges 1 under bills'of lading reads:—"That the scalo •-, of charges on' heavy.iiffs,under bills of lading • from .the ,United, Kingdom' is obsolete;' •. that it'.is exorbitant.in so' far.; as;(fpr lifts up •- to, say, -50, tons) .itiexceeds,2os. .per' ,, ton per 1 lift into and out of ships' and that-to'the, extent 1 to which such Vcliarges Care excessive;.thej-mili- ; .tate against■ tho Home trade and "the interests •: ;of : the .outposts of .the; Einuiro, and' operate to foster .foreign ccolnpetition. ',■■.• •'■'■.•.'. V.,'" ;i!.' , -Trom Toronto will comSd proposal , that 1 the •; congress: express the opinion—"Tliat the- bonds ; :'of the. British- Empire" would bo materially ■■' strengthened; nnu; tho .'union.'..of- tho .-.Various _■ parts ;of liis-.Majesty'B Domiflions grchtly-'con--1 solidated,' by.'.the adoption.-of a ' cpramercial V ; policy based upon the principle % bf;mutiiat .bclie- ,- fit,'whereby, each component jiart Of the' Empire , wotUdrecoivflia substantial'advantage :in trade ;■ as tho'result of its'natioual relationship," It ;, '.is. farther in order Ho make • tho'■ foregoing operative,.,the,chair shall !ap- '■ point,/.-beffito .tins.-eopgMsS dissolves, ft representative ! nnd proportionate'.committee of Some !'- ■and':colonial, delegates,''to> devise a solieiue of .■this : natui'e: and. report .to this or a similar :• pommerciardongress.'-'.; ~ .•■.'.:..■■;.;/,',;. '■[:■ ;. , '~ .. ■ ■;.-;The> liondoli' |:'ChambeV : wjllvffl.ovo ; : that— , /"Whereat the'-'fotirth-ahd fifth cahgresses of : .Chambers .of Commerce' 'of the -Emm'r'oYex-' : pressed:the opinion that-the'bonds of the Bri- , :tish Empii'o • would ;be materially strengthened ' ' bjr; a" inutually; beneficial.' , . ■Cbmlnerpia'l.p'ollby. ' Whereas it-is the.:.opinion of this congress that ; ..it isin ; tho interests'of tho Empire that steps '■ -taken'' tower Is., consummating such 1 an' , tigrMment.'-'.-'-v.,\V i hereas'',:the-'sJx.ih' consress, : held .■ih ; .Londont'in"ri9oiJirynrged"upoii his - Majesty's..Government.in the' United Kingdom !. anu.in.theL yarioHS colonies and,-dependencies '.-. the advantage/ of Vgrahting preferential '■' treat- ! metttiri-.theirrespeotivo markets on a reciprocal '■■■ ~.b: a sis,:.edch,: t o;thp;'6th3r, believing that thereby. !: ,:tho bpud_s;,of;unibn's.,;would Ije strengthened.-.tho 1 ,'different;"parts'!of;.the Empire rapidly.developed;,and'Jmporial commerce thus increased, .' —Be.'it.'thereforo'.rpsolved:-—'That -this con- - gresst whilst; , .;, reafflrnjins' the .foregoing,: urge : ' upoii.the'.Q.overnmpnts-bi th'e'Enipiro that.thoy : treat , -thiS:mattor','as-,pf:,present practical im- ''.'; portanbe, ;and. that , oach -organisation represen- '■ r ted ■•at; this.' cbng'ress'iijledge , ' itself to press' its ■ .respective Soycrniiient'. to take such action 'at ~ ,'ithft-next -Imperial Congress. as will-give effcot '" to 'the 'principle: 'advdcatol in this resolution.'" ' ■On the-:'subjebt"of;-paroel.'postago' tho.vljOndon' ■ Chamber..'-of Comriieroo will move:—"That;:in , ' view:of the important tolo' whioh parcels play in'fpsteriug trado between manufacturing and ; consuming countries, and especially-of that be-. ■ tween? the .Mother Country, and the colonies, it is.desirable-that:postal.rates on.parcels, within : the -Empire,i-W; reduced to the lowest ppsaibld- • -.'level/' on ,; a 'similar basis to .that recently between:' Great: Britain and Noiv;,'Zea- " -.land.V-'--,,•■,,:;••,;;,'-./V; : :<> : ■-,-■ '-'-: )■. .:,-; ■•■ . ■';•;.- ':, '