CHAMBER of COMMERCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 November 1925, Page 8

CHAMBER of COMMERCE

ANNUAL C<

TERENCE.

(Per Pre«s Association.)

DUNEDIN, November 27. The Chamber of/Commerce Conference was to-day. . . /A resolution was carried ‘‘That the conference views with misgiving the proposal to institute’compulsory control and marketing of daily produce from Atigust 1, 19,25, under powers given by the Government to the Dairy Control Board. It’ is hoped ■ that the * powers given to the Dairy and Meat Control Boards for compulsory marketing will be repealed.” ' Mr A. Hunt moved: ‘‘That, following the close of the British Empire Exhibition, concerted special measures be taken to impress on British capitalists the Dominion’s potentialities for the investment of capital, with a view to inducing their active participation in the working of the undeveloped resources within the ( l)ominion,. and the institution and expansion of industry.” The motion was carried.

Mr W. Brown (W an ganui) moved: — ‘‘That the conference recommends all Chambers of Commerce to use their influence with the commercial community for the importation into New Zealand of British goods, rather than goods from outside the Empire.’’“-Carried. Mr J. B. Waters- (Dunedin) moved : “That the conference urge upon companies and others having money to lend to consider favourably first mortgage investments on farm lands, and help farmers in the great difficulty experienced in arranging finance. ” Carried. Mr A. H. Mackrell (Invercargill) moved.: “That conference expresses alarm at the large and ever-increasing indebtedness of local bodies throughout the Dominion, and that the Government be urged to : enquire into the matter with a view to checking unnecessary borrowing.” —Carried. Mr W. Machin (Christchurch) moved : “That in (die opinion of this conference the time has arrived to define legitimate local body trading, with a view to its proper limitation by legislation, and in order to prevent public bodies competing unfairly with their own ratepayers, as follows: It is recognised thlit all general utility supplies to the public, such as electricity, water, tramways, drainage-, etc., which it is unwise to leave in the hands of private enterprise, and the profits from which rightly belong to the ratepayers and consumers, or persons supplied, should be controlled by public bodies, but beyond these it is deemed inadvisable for public bodies to embark on'enterprises which compete with legitimate private trading. ’ ’ —Carried. Mr P. B. Foote (Canterbury) moved : “That the Valuer-General be asked to arrange for a revaluation of the whole of the rural land of New Zealand, with the object of bringing land down to presenfl-day values.” —Lost. Mr H. Valder (Hamilton) moved: “That in the opinion of this conference the system and methods of valuation in New Zealand are urgently in need of review, and the Valuation Of Land Act, 1908, and its amendments -should be amended so as to provide, inter alia, for: (a) a clearer definition of unimproved value, (b) power for the Assessment Court to order a general revaluation or variation in values in districts where it deems such desir 7 able, (c) a limitation of power of trustees to advance on mortgage two-thirds of the Government valuation.” —Lost. Mr W,; W. Hudson (Auckland) moved: “That this cohference again protests against the retention of the formula now in use for the determination of a basic wage as being admittedly applicable to the circumstances of only one-tenth of the wageearners in the Dominion, and, in the best interests of the State, urges the .Government to consider the possibility of adopting some method more in accord with actual conditions. Carried. Mr J. Gilkison (Invercargill) moved : “That the executive take the necessary steps to have representatives of importers and of exporters of nonrefrigerated cargo associated with the Meat° and Dairy Produce Boards when arranging the annual contracts fqr the carriage of overseas goods to the United Kingdom.’’--Carried. The election of officers resulted :— President, Mr A. H. Mackrell (Invercargill); vice-president, Mr W. Machin (Canterbury); committee, Messrs A. McKenzie and J. R. Simpson (Wellington), J. B. Richards (Stratford), P. Barr (Dunedin), and A .A. Martin (Auckland). . The next conference will be held m Wellington on a date to be fixed by the executive.