UNSETTLED PERIOD STILL AHEAD, SAYS REPORT OF CHAMBER

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 October 1948, Page 8

UNSETTLED PERIOD STILL AHEAD, SAYS REPORT OF CHAMBER

j “We must still look forward to a ■time of rather unsettled circumj stances, though we had hoped by now i that trade and commerce at least I would have resumed normal condi--1 tions,” states the president of the j Greymouth Chamber of Commerce, I Mr R. J. Truman, in his annual rei port to be presented at this evening’s meeting. “The revised rate of exchange, bringing the New Zealand pound on a par with the pound sterling, has no doubt meant headaches for all, but in j looking into the future, it would seem i that this will have a definite stabilj ising effect, and provided there is not , too much interference, matters should straighten themselves out to smooth running for the years that lie ahead,” he added. “I say smooth running because it would appear from contracts i entered into for our primary products 1 the national income of the country is assured at a reasonably high level ' and, provided nothing untoward happens, we can eventually hope to see years of prosperity and peace, both , commercially and militarily. j “Where the chamber can follow ’ only matters of purely local interest ' to a conclusion on our own, we do ' take matters of a wider interest into consideration with the Associated Chambers,” continued the report. “It • is through that body that the greater of our benefits are derived. I feel .' that the work of the chamber lies in the welfare of the business community, and in this we incorporate the farming community (for farming today is a business of its own, and a ' major one at that) and matters that I affect us individually in business, affect New Zealand as a whole. The chamber is part of a world-wide movement that is out to protect business ethics. Surely in New. Zealand at present we need some united protection, or at least some united body through which we can seek protection, and make ourselves heard when we feel some injustice is being done, or better still, about to be done. This is what the Associated Chambers is doing day in and day out in Wellington.” The report goes on to. refer to the various matters dealt with .by the chamber during the year, including among the local matters, the plane service, native leases, coal by-pro-ducts, wandering stock, town planning (commercial sites), shipping delays, South Island needs, news letter, and supply of builders’ hardware needs.