STATISTICS AND TRADING

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 30, 4 August 1921, Page 4

STATISTICS AND TRADING

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING

In responding to the toast of his health- at the Chamber of Commerce meeting yesterday, the Mayor (Mr. R. A. .Wright, M.P.) complimented the Chamber on all it did for Wellington. He endorsed Mr. Martin's criticism of America's raising a trade ' barrier against New Zealand, which was entitled to take all it could to defend itself in this matter. *

Mr. J. G. Harkness said the Harbour Board was the key to Wellington's''success. He endorsed all that had been said with respect to economy, and he asked that business men should bear that in mind when they went to ! the Harbour Board and asked for expenditure on works that 1 were- not absolutely necessary. He showed how ' the.board was succeeding in making both ends meet. Ho asked for more public spirit in Wellington affairs. The board valued criticism—providing it was right.

Mr. Malcolm Fraser explained the system of compiling trade statistics as they affected particular localities. Prior to 1914 they were allocated to ports. Subsequently they were credited to districts, as at present. The Wellington Chamber considered this a fair thing in 1914; but to particularise would entail considerable cost, a point to be borne in mind when calling for economy. They must look to the trade of the country as a whole. H they wanted the trade of a district they could obtain it from the figures relating ■to the district. As for the port.—it worked; it did not trade. He explained the statistics of ports in detail. So far- as the statistics could be made accurate they were accurate. The essential factor was to ascertain the trade between New Zealand and other countries.

Mr. R. W. Dalton, H.M. Trade Commissioner, moved a vote of thanks to the chairman (Mr. M. A. Carr), stating that he had rarely heard so lucid a statement of the actual trade of the world as that given by Mr. Carr. As to the state of trade he believed they had got-to rock bottom. They would, he felt sure,, presently find themselves pursuing tho safe British way of trade. They would have profited by the lessons of tha past two years. He was greatly pleased with the remarks made on interImperial trade. He saw no reason why within the next two years 80 per cent, of tho trade of New Zealand" should not be done with the United Kingdom. OFFICERS ELECTED. ■ Messrs. C.'M. Banks, M. A. Carr, W. F. Cuthbertsoii, D. A... Ewen, S. A. LonguetjV Andrew Mackenzie, J. T. Martin, J. XF. Mills, John Myers, A. W. Press, A. F. Roberts, and G; H. Young were elected members of the council of the Chamber. Messrs. Watkins, Hunt, Hull, and Wheeler were elected auditors.