AFTER THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 68, 18 September 1917, Page 3

AFTER THE WAR

THE TRADE BATTLE

A "PREPAREDNESS" CAMPAIGN

At a special meeting of the council of the Central Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon consideration was given to suggestions by Mr. L. Ashcroft Edwards for dealing with trade matters alter the war. Mr. Edwards moved that his recommendations be endorsed, and that the Chamber pledge its support. His suggestions, which have already been published, were briefly as follow:—A Ministry of Commerce, compulsory technical education, business and labour men's educational meetings, heavy taxation (if economically sound) on enemy goods and .representatives, branding of goods with name of country of origin, confiscation of goods where undervalued, preference by Government bodies to Britain and 'her Allies, special tax on enemy trading, prohibition of preferential freights, extra dues on enemy ships, Customs duties to meet special subsidies. In speaking to the. motion Mr. Edwards said that though the trade war which would follow the contest of arms was of the most momentous importance, practically nothing was being done to prepare for it; In New Zealand business men and the Government appeared to take very little interest in tie subject. Great Britain was now suffering the result of her nnpreparedness. They were allowing America to get a grip on the faade that was formerly done, and, so far as the motor business was concerned, he doubted if Britain could again, win back the trade to the extent that she had it before the war. A plan of campaign would be as a suit of armour in this trade war. They needed something to brush-aside the apathy of the British business man. If they were ito pay their war bills they must buy British goods; if they bought German goods they would be paying Germany's bill as well as it-heir own. They required a reformation of their educational system. They all needed re-education. They wanted direct conferences with Labour, so that they might show that slowing-down methods were not a success, and Labour could teach them many things also. They did not know what would be the effect of a prohibitive tariff on German goods. It might encourage inefficiency in their home manufactures. Because they could not speak with certainty on such questions they should study the matter thoroughly. i'lr. W. Smith, in seconding Mr. Edwards's motion, said he thought they should p-ut the preferential tariff against their Allies in favour of Britain, but with a stronger tariff against present enemy countries.

MATTER NOT OVERLOOKED. Mr. Leigh Hunt did not agree that nothing had been done. Resolutions bearing on various aspects of the question (some of which he quoted) had been forwarded, by Chambers of Commerce to the Government. Many of the matters had a bearing upon a wider field than New Zealand could deal with. He.would like to see a non-political Ministry of Commerce, but lie was not sanguine of i .its being obtained, in view of the way I in which the Efficiency Board had been treated. He believed in educationalmeetings. for* business and .labour, and urged that the work of the Empire j Service League in this direction should, be supported. Regarding "country of origin," he would go further than branding, and make it compulsory for a | retailer to state the country of origin to the customer who wished to buy British goods. While supporting the recommendations generally, Mr. Hunt ■; did not think they should send them out as original suggestions, but should forward them through the Associated Chambers of Commerce for reaffirmation. Mr. J. P. Atkins 6aid that it appeared that the Associated Chambers of Commerce was the. dead-end. Matters never seemed to go much further. Measures for dealing with enemy subjects were in | the war regulations, but they should be lon the Statute Book. . ' AIMING TOO HIGH. That- consideration of the recommendations should be deferred for twelve months was the idea of Mr. George Winder, who considered that the Chamber was aiming too high in dealing with such subjacts. They were labouring business men, and they should try to bo practical. There was the pressing problem of the cost of living—wiiy were they eating frozen mutton when so much fresh meat was produced in the country? Then, too, recent and heavy increases in freights had not been mentioned If they dealt more with local subjects they would have more interest taken in their proceedings. "Some of our members won't come here because they can't follow the explosions of our literary speakers."

While agreeing generally with the rea-ffirmatioji of 'the views outlined, Mr. i.T. Forsyth thought they should not adopt n. bare motion for compulsojy technical education when the technical school directors had dealt thoroughly, with the subject. He alluded to the good work done for three years past by the Workers' Educational Association. FULL CONSIDERATION The President of the Chamber (Mr. 0. M. Luke) said these questions had all been dealt with previously by various chambers and at two conferences; The Associated Chambers. were not the dead end. The views of ' the conference had been forwarded to' the jSr c>v Zealand Government and to the London Chamber of Commerce. There had been important conferences of chambers of commerce in London and Paris to deal with these questions. They should not now presume to deal with these weighty questions in an hour and a-half. What they could do in furtherance of the objects was another question. In replying,. Mr, Edwards said he did not wish the matter to be simply for.warded. to the Associated Chambers and reaffirmed year after year He wished to have a live campaign of education. If the Chamber would not support him he would inaugurate the meetings of business men which he suggested.

The motion and recommendations were agreed to, Mr. Winder dissenting, and it was further decided, on the motion ot Mr. Forsyth, that they should be included in the board's remits to the Associated Chambers.