CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Evening Star, Issue 21828, 18 September 1934, Page 6

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL The monthly meeting of the council of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce was held last evening, the president (Mr C. B. Barrowdough) presiding over the following attendance : —Messrs C. .1. Darracott, W. H. Brent, M. Stewart, Newman. I*. .Wilson, K. E. Nieolson, A. C. Laiug, H. L. Longhottom, N. Wood, J. P. I*. Clouston, H. V. La wry, D. W. M'Cay, H. A. Newall, E. T. Seymour, 1. 11. Penrose, G. S. Kirby, H. Brasch, H. J. Guthrie, IV.'Cole, L. Deans Ritchie, S. L. Bang, H. .1. Lousier, A. H. Allen, R. Armit, A. C. Cameron, and W. H. Naylor. P NEW MEMBER. Messrs Sievwright, James, and Nichol (Mr J. B. Nicol) was elected a member of the chamber COMMITTEES APPOINTED. It was intimated that at a meeting of the council held on August 24 the following committees were appointed : Exports.—Messrs • Cameron (convener), C. Baker, G. Begg, Longbottom, Nieolson, Stewart, Wilson. Local Industries.— Messrs T. Somerville (convener), Guthrie, Longbottom, Naylor, L. Ritchie, Laing, Gardiner, A. C. Laing, E. Sheed. ''t Imports.—Messrs Gardiner (convener), Guthrie, M‘Cay, Newall, Nieolson, Penrose, Wood, M. S. Myers. Transport, Tourist, and Publicity.— Messrs Baker..(convener), Kirby, LousIcy, M‘Cay, Penrose, •Watts. Gibson. Membership and Entertainments.— Messrs Wood (convener), Lousley, Newall, S. L. Laingi A. C. Laing, H. y. Lawrv. •, •,

Vigilance and Bills.—Messrs Myers (convener), Kirby, Ritchie, E. 3’. Seymour, Somerville, R. Armit, Lawry, Clouston. .. .

Primary Industries.—Messrs C. Begg (convener), Stewart, Wilson, Cameron. Executive.—Messrs Baker, Begg, Cameron, Gardiner, Myers, Somerville. Wood. Tiie President extended a welcome to the newly-appointed' members of the council, as well as to those continuing in office lor the ensuing year. Owing to? his frequent absence from Dunediii*Mr C. V. Smith found it necessary to tender -, his resignation as a member of the council, and this was accepted with regret. On the motion of Mr C, J. Damico 11:, seconded by Mr N. Wood, MV S. L. Laing was elected a member of the council. v EXECUTIVE REPORT. The executive report was as' follows :—- Mortgagors' and Tenants’ Belief Act. —The Bill introduced into Parliament to further extend the scope of the Act was considered. The proposed amendment provided for tiie suspension of the personal covenant under mortgages of property owned by religious, charitable, or educational bodies. The executive decided to support the action of the ■Associated Chambers in opposing the Bill, and to ask local members of Parliament to. do likewise. Replies from Messrs W. Downie Stewart, M.P., and A. E. Ansell, ALP.. indicate that the Bill will not proceed further. Amendment to Distress Act.—Tin’s Act, if passed, will tend further to penalise landlords from obtaining possession where tenants failed to pay rent. The executive recommends that no action be taken meantime. Conference re Development of Tourist Traffic.—A conference was held in Wellington recently to consider the development of our tourist business. Individual chambers were not invited, but representatives of the Associated Chambers were present on their behalf. Remits, Annual Conference.—For the annual conference to be held in Christchurch on November 1 and 2 remits on the following matters have been sent forward; —(1) Destruction of farm, lands by mining; (2) building by Government departments and local bodies \ (3) unemployment insurance; (4) tourist traffic; also a reaffirmation that- the land tax be abolished in favour of income tax. Delegates have yet to be appointed. Commercial Examinations.—The Associated Chambers have advised that the report of the conference held on June 13 last had been considered, and the executive could not see its way to adopt the recommendations made. As this effort to secure the co-ordination of the various bodies had failed it was considered that technical schools should adopt a syllabus of commercial examinations that would bo satisfactory to chambers of commerce. Overseas Shipowners’ Allotment Committee. —This committee has written complaining of the disability experienced owing to individual chambers each representing its own case, and stated that matters of this nature should be dealt with through the Associated Chambers as representing all chambers. National Mortgage Corporation.—The proposal of the Government to introduce legislation in this connection has been discussed and a request made to the Associated Chambers for all information available. The executive suggests that the Government should take evidence on the matter. Spoliation of Farm Lands by Alining. —A meeting of the various bodies interested in the preservation of farm lands from spoliation by mining was held, and as a result representations were made to the Goverxuuent and local members of Parliament to oppose those clauses in tbc Alining Amendment Bill giving powers to mine farm lands and endanger their further use for farming. Advice was received that the Goldfields and Alines Committee was prepared to take evidence, and arrangements were made accordingly. Amplifying what had been done in regard to the destruction of farm land. Air Barrowclough said that lie was appointed to represent the chamber, and appeared before the committee on September 13. and also represented Otago Provincial Council, the New Zealand Fanners' Union, the Otago branch of, the New Zealand Sheep -Owners’ Federation, the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society, and the Otago sion League. Associated with him were Air Allan (Wright. Stephenson, and Go., representing stock and station agents), Air Harrison (representing Returned Soldiers’ Association), and Air Sargood (who appeared independently). The committee gave the recommendations made very careful consideration, but, of course, he was not at liberty to discuss the evidence given until the committee’s report was before the House. He wished to place on record his appreciation of the assistance, given to him by Air Luke (secretary of the Farmers’ Union in Wellington) and Air Harrison (of the Returned Soldiers Association). The report was adopted. DUTY ON CROCKERY. Air J. L. Gardiner, on behall of the Imports Committee, reported that the matter < F duty on crockery had been discU'- :'!. and that the following telegram had been despatched to the Alinisted of Customs;—The Dunedin

Chamber of Gommerce urges that the alteration in the duty be made retrospective from July 11, or, alternatively, that the alteration in the tariff be made operative from January 1 ■nest. Many importers landed and cleared stock since July 11 on the assumption that the old rate would operate.” A reply had been received stating that the matter would be given careful consideration. The action of the Imports Committee was confirmed. THE CALL AT HOBART. Mr N icolson referred to the visit of Mr J. M. Fisher, Tasmanian Government Trade Commissioner for New Zealand, and to the splendid results he had achieved in reviving trade between Tasmania and Ibis dominion. Through his efforts the Union Steam Ship Company had agreed that, on the first three trips of the Maheno between Bluff and Melbourne, the vessel would call at Hobart, and, if trade warranted, the cargo service would bo made more regular than at present.Representations wore made to the Union Company by this chamber and oilier bodies to have Hobart included as a port of call, ns the chamber believed that it would lead to increased trade. Largely through the efforts of Mr Fisher, it had been shown that the trade did actually exist, and they appreciated the action of the Union Company in its decision to make Hobart a port of call, and could assure the company of the chamber’s support of this service. He expressed the hope that results of the forthcoming season would be such as to warrant the continuance of the Melhoanie-Hobart-Sonth Island shipping service v On Mr Nieolsou’s motion it was resolved to express the chamber’s appreciation of the Union Company’s action in agreeing to meet the requests made to it. DAILY SOUTH EXPRESS. Appreciation was expressed of the Railway Department’s action in running ,the 8.A3 a.m. express to Invercargill and the 1.45 p.m. express from Jnvercargill daily, the hope being expressed that business would warrant the continuance of this daily service. GOVERNMENT QUESTIONNAIRE. The Secretary of the Associated Chambers wrote stating that a protest had been made by the Gore Chamber againsF “ the growing tendency of Government departments to make extravagant ami arbitrary demands on persons carrying on businesses, requiring them to supply information of a conlidontial nature relating to their particular businesses, financial status, and resources, together with a mass of details involving considerable time and trouble in preparation, particularly in regard to applications for heavy traffic licenses for motor vehicles.” The executive understood that tin? road transport business was not the only one which was required to give intimate details of the nature'Complained of by the Gore Chamber, and it was desirous of securing from chambers instances of any other businesses that could be quoted in the same connection. A sub-coramittce had been set up to obtain information on the position as affecting businesses generally, with a view to making representations to the Government, and he would bo pleased to hear from the Dunedin Chamber. The President said that for the compilation of records there was undoubtedly some need for the furnishing, of information. The executive felt it was the only way the Government had of securing the necessary data! However, the quest for some details might he considered oppressive, and ho would like some expression of opinion from the. council on the matte)'. Mr Kirby said it seemed to him that unless the full information was supplied the Government could not get the necessary information, which, ; of course, was always treated as being confidential. He saw no reason why the information should be withekl. Mr IVilson said the stock and station agents did not consider the requests for details unreasonable. Mr Wood said it was necessary; at the present time to delve into a company’s concerns, notably in regard-to income tax returns. The chamber decided to express the opinion that the information asked for was not considered oppressive. MARKS OF ORIGIN. The secretary of the Associated Chambers wrote stating that a special committee had gone into the question of marks of origin on imported goods, and that, in view of the opinions expressed by Chambers of Commerce in Great Britain, the sub-committee suggested that it would be unwise to ask that British manufactures be made subject to compulsory marking, but suggested that eases be examined on their merits. The report was received. SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS. The secretary, of the Associated Chambers wrote advising that the matter of the new school certificate examinations was before the last meeting of the executive. The matter was still under consideration, and would be dealt with again at the next meeting. The letter was received. TELEGRAPH RATES. The Chairman said that the new'telegraph rates were brought into operation in April, and in the face of a strong protest from the business community .throughout the dominion the Post-master-General announced that they would bo given six months’ trial, anil this had to be accepted. On examining the rates of the various centres, he found that the south was being unduly penalised. The maximum charge between the various centres showed that for telegram's from Wellington only two centres were Is .'id; from Auckland, nine Dunedin, ten; and Invercargill, twelve. As the term of six months would expire next month, it was hoped these anomalies would be removed by a reversion to the old rates. Mr Clouston (Chief Postmaster at Dunedin) said that the period of six months would expire on October 4. The basis of the present charges was cost, nod cost was governed by distance. It was, therefore, logical that the further the centre was away the greater the cost. While this might be called an anomaly, it was certainly not an inconsistency. The charges were based on a sound business principle, and it might be advisable to wait and see what happened. Mr Wood claimed that the service belonged to the people, and it was therefore unfair that the extremities of the dominion should be penalised. Mr Allen said that the Associated Chambers had the matter in hand and would request that the department 1 revert to the former system. It was, therefore, not necessary to take action. He would ask Mr Clouston why, if distance were the deciding factor, it cost Id to send a letter to Caversham and Id to send it to London. (Loud laughter.) Mr Clouston replied that telegrams were sent in hundreds of thousands and letters in millions. The tremendous volume of letters justified the lower charges. Mr Stewart: What about the parcel post rate?

The Chairman (after a pause) : No answer, Mr Stewart. MEAT QUOTA. A letter was received from the secretary of the Associated Chambers stating that the executive had considered correspondence from the Auckland Chamber suggesting that leading New Zealand importers be urged to cable their associates in Britain, asking them to bring pressure to bear on the Imperial Government to refrain from imposing restrictions on New Zealand exports of meat to Great Britain, in view of the serious position which at present confronted New Zealand with regard to meat and the deplorable effect that the imposition of any cpiotas would have it applied to New Zealand produce, restricting the ability of New Zealand to purchase British goods, for one thing, the meeting unanimously decided to take up the suggestion of the Auckland Chamber. Mr Cameron said that there had been a definite pronouncement that it was not intended to place restrictions on imports of meat, and that the matter would he met by a levy. He did not think tha t anyone won Id take action, and tlie time was certainly inopportune lor the chamber to take action, especially as Mr D. Jones (chairman of the Meat Board) was on his way over to parley with the British Government. It was decided to take no action. WAIWERA’S MAIDEN TRIP. , Mr H. Turner, of the New Zealand Fruit Board, London, wrote stating that various shipping lines wore showing commendable optimism in regard to the future prosperity of New Zealand, and, regardless of foreign subsidised shipping, were building a number of up-to-date cargo liners for the New Zealand trade, .and he asked that the chamber should co-operate with other public bodies in organising a gala inspection of tile Shaw, Savill and Albion Company's new 13,000-ton ship, Waiwera, which was due at Port Chalmers on her maiden trip about October 20. The general manager had given an assurance that, if the draught was suitable, the ship would go right up to Dunedin. Mr Allen said that cargo vessels, doing sixteen knots, were making the journey between Britain and New Zealand in thirty days, and one vessel had taken only 29. J days. Two vessels which were being built for the trade would be capable of seventeen knots. The time was coming when the Government would have to consider seriously whether it should subsidise the fortnightly San Francisco; and Vancouver services, by which the mails could be carried no ■more quickly than by these fast cargo vessels. It was decided to support the efforts to he made to have the Waiwera brought up to Dunedin-