CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Evening Star, Issue 18717, 20 August 1924, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

annual eepoet. Tito thirty-seventh annual report of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce states;— Seventeen now members were elected during the year; the resignations numbered eight, while four were lost by death. Tlie membership at the close of year was 213. The council records with sincere regret the removal bv death of the late Messrs G. W. Sare, David Crawford, John Slone, and \V. Taylor. Mr Sure was a, member of the clumber for many years, occupied a seat on the council during a term, and rendered valuable service as chairman of the Exports Committee from 1915 to 1918. Mr David Crawford, at the. time of his death, was lion, auditor to the chamber, a position he had held since 1917, when ho succeeded the late Mr John Davie. Prior to In's appointment as auditor Mr Crawford had been for many years a member of the chamber. Messrs John Stone and W. Taylor, while not taking active part iu the. management of the chamber, had been members for a considerable time, and both were prominent in business circles in the city. There have been fifteen meetings of council during the year, and the attendance at these meetings has been uniformly good. In accordance with the articles of association, Messrs Allen, Benson, Brascli, Gow, Paterson, and Shepherd retire from office at the annual meeting, and are not eligible for re-election for twelve mouths. At the July meeting of council it was decided to approve of the principle of having elected and nominated members of council, the nominated members to represent various trade organisations. This will involve alterations in the articles of association of the chamber, and the incoming executive will arrange for the. necessary meetings of members to deal with the suggested amendments. Meantime, it is proposed that four new members of council he elected at the annua] meeting. The usual committees wore set up for the year, and held thirty-six meetings, the work falling on the Exports Committee being particularly heavy owing to numerous conferences regarding shipping. From the audited statement of receipts a,nd payments it will bo seen that, while the investments remain a.s at the beginning of the year, there has been an excess of expenditure amounting to £33 9s. This is due to the fact that the Auckland Conference involved payment of a. larger amount than usual for travelling, while there has also been a heavier claim for share of expenses in connection with the Association of Chambers. LAND AND INCOME TAX. Among the remits forwarded to the- Conference of Associated Chambers and adopted was a resolution with regard to the graduated land tax as applied to city properties, and evidence in support of the claim for a modification of this impost was submitted by a member of the chamber to the Royal Commission which sat in Dunedin in May lasi, No official statement was tendered on behalf of the chambers before this Commission, but (by request) Mr Walter Gow attended, and furnished valuable evidence. The report of the Commission, which is now before Parliament, contained several suggestions for the amendment of taxation on lines consistently advocated by the chamber and by the Association of Chambers, notably the recommendation that a change from the present system of taxing companies direct as individuals to that of taxing every individual upon his total income from all sources.

SHIPPING. In October an important conference with respect to South Island shipping was held in Dunedin, _ there being present, as well as the council of this chamber, represen ta,tives of the Invercargill Chamber and of the Otago Importers and Shippers’ Association. As a result a joint letter was forwarded to the Shipping Federation in Loudon making suggestions as to an improved time-table tor overseas cargo steamers, so that South Island ports might have a more frequent and reliable service. The whole question‘of South island shipping is to be considered further at a conference under the auspices of the Associated Chambers to be held in Dunedin in September. The Wellington Chamber, in March, asked for the "support of the chamber in its efforts to arrange for direct steamer service from the Lower Cook Islands, the proposal being that steamers call at Wellington each alternative trip. After conferring with the Otago fruit importers, the executive communion ted with the. Minister of Trade and Commerce and the Minister for the Cook Islands, approving of the altered route, which should help the trade in the south by ensuring earlier delivery of fruit cargoes. The new time-table is now in operation. FLAT RATES IN MAIL CONTRACTS. At the November conference, the following resolution, submitted by this chamber, was unanimously adopted - “That the conference reaffirms the resolution passed at the conference _in Cnristehurch in 10.21, as to the necessity for a flat rate of freight being a condition of future Pacific mail contracts, expresses satisfaction that it is proposed by the department to invite alternative fenders specifying a flat rate, arid strongly urges notepianeo of lenders on that basis.” Advice was received in March last from the Association of Chambers that, in the notices calling for tenders, a clause had been inserted, as promised by the department, inviting- alternative lenders specifying a flat rate to and from New Zealand main ports. On receipt of this information a letter was forwarded to the Postmaster-General urging that, if possible, a tender on the flat rate basis lie accepted. The Association _ of Cham tiers lias, however, been advised recently that a fresh mail contract will probably be arranged immediately, but that the shipping companies will not entertain the proposal of a flat rate. The council recommends tho incoming executive to continue to press this matter until a, satisfactory result is obtained. TRADE WITH THE EAST. Proposals tor the development of trade with tho East have received epccinl consideration from the council during the past twelve months, and there have been several conferences with tho Manufacturers’ Association in tho matter. At the first council meeting of the year, correspondence was road in regard to a proposed mission of business men to Java. Later the proposal for a service to the East by Royal Packet Navigation Company was considered by the Exports Committee, and a resolution' passed depreciating any alteration in the Customs tariff as suggested bv tho promoters of this service. When the Union Steam Ship Company undertook to place a steamer on the direct rim between New Zealand main ports and Java and Singapore, the council apprised merchants of the fact, and every endeavor has been made by the. Exports Committee to encourage shippers to take advantage of the opportunity for direct communication. The committee, in conjunction with tho Manufacturers’ Association, is at present endeavoring to arrange for tho visit of a New Zealand trade representative to Java, with a view, to his showing samples of New Zealand products and obtaining information as to tho trade requirements there. C.I.F. TERMS. In August a. circular letter was received from the Provision Trade Section of the London Chamber, affirming that "offers of g.;-ods on goods on c.i.f. terms with countries using British currency shall bo held to include cost of exchange.” The Imports Committee, to which the matter was referred, after conferring with the principal New Zealand chambers, sent a reply pointing out that this interpretation of tho term was quite contrary to tho experience of traders here. Later in the yoar the Canterbury Chamber, having received a reply from London adhering to tho ruling quoted, suggested that New Z-eal’widj mesehants should agree on a standard definition. Accordingly, the Exports and Imports Committees conferred with representative exporter!;, and framed a series of definitions of the terms c.i.f,, c.i.f.e., and c.i.f.c.e., which were, considered at tho recent meeting of the execu-

five of the Association of Chambers, sn& will bo dealt with at the November conference. It is hoped that, as a result of the reports from all the principal chambers, a definite pronouncement can be made to London as to the meaning placed upon these to mis by dominion importers and exporters, so that a fixed understanding may bo arrived at, and a fruitful causa of differences and confusion removed. RAILWAYS. The matter of fixing standard weight# of various classes of goods for conveyance by rail was brought to a satisfactory conclusion during the year, the list Bixppliea by the department being finally approved by the merchants interested. The necessity for a daily morning train earvico throughout the year to Invercargill was considered by the Vigilance Committee in December last, and subsequently a deputation waited upon the Hon. the Minister _ of Railways in the matter of the running of the express trains during tho winter months. The Invercargill Chamber acted in conjunction with committee, and full information obtained from thei head olfico of the department as to the passenger traffic on the through trains was published. An effort will be made later on to obtain tho reinstatement of the summer service at an earlier date than has been tho case in recent years. THE BIG EXHIBITION. Matters in connection with tha New Zealand anti South Seas Exhibition, to bo opened in Dunedin in November, 1923, have, naturally, occupied the council and executive Largely during tin- year. Tho president, an ex-president (Mr T. Somerville), and tho chairman of the Imports Committee (Mr Sincock) were elected directors of the Exhibition Company, while other members of council are assisting on the various committees that have, been set up to deal with different phases of the big undertaking. The question of tho scope of the Exhibition, in view of a certain amount of opposition to it.? international character, was considered ai tha council meeting in September, and a resolution was affirmed pointing out that the usefulness and attractiveness of tha Exhibition would be greatly enhanced by the wider policy. At tho conference iq November the following remit, sent forward by this chamber, was unanimously approved: —“That tho conference notes with interest that steps are being taken to hold a New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition in Dunedin in 1925, expresses the hope that the venture will be carried to a successful issue, in the interests of the dominion generally, and strongly recommends members of chambers of commerce and other business organisations throughout New Zealand to lend it their support in every way possible.” MERCANTILE CHARGES. In January a deputation from the Otago Land Agents’ and Auctioneers’ Association was received as to an alteration suggested in the chamber's scale of mercantile charges as affecting commissions on the sale of freehold and leasehold properties, The matter was considered by tho Vigilance Committee, and the counci? adopted its report agreeing to the pmposed alteration. The council decided that the association be informed that it relied upon a strong effort being made to bring the various scales of commission into uniformity. It will be necessary to submit this alteration to a special meeting of the chamber. If it is approved, the amendment will be embodied in the scale published with this annua! report. NEW TOST OFFICE. Following tho deputation to the Prime Minister in June, 1923, referred to in the last annual report, representations were made in January to the .Minister in charge as to the long delay in commencing work on the new Post Office building. A reply was received in Juno from the Public Works Department that the Government architect, had been instructed to prepare the plans of the new- Post Office at an early date.