COMMUNITY INTERESTS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 29 November 1930, Page 6

COMMUNITY INTERESTS

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS HAM ERA DELEGATE'S REVIEW. •‘From the remits discussed indication was given that the interests o! the ratepayer, taxpayer, farmer and trader, as well as the larger commercial interests are -all being watched and safeguarded as far as possible, by the Associated: Oh ambers of Commerce of New Zealand,”, said. Mr. F. W. Horner, president of the .Hawera chamber, in a public address at the Borough. Council Chambers, Hawera, last evening when he. gave a- coniprehensive review of the deliberations of the annual conference of delegates of th associated chambers held at the Hermitage, kit. Cook, recently.

Mr. P. Bond, vice president of the Hawera chamber, occupied the chair, and in formally introducing Mr. Horner explained that as, the Hawera delegate to the Dominion conference, Mr. Horner had been requested by the executive to deliver a public address concerning his impressions of the conference. It was gratifying to- the executive to- note the attendance of representatives qf both town and country interests at the meeting;, the objective of the chamber of commerce being to foster all matters of common interest and it beincr realised that there was an important community of interest among town and district residents of the South Taranaki district.

LENGTHY sessions,

The conference was probably one of the most interesting and important business -conferences held in the Dominion in recent years, said Mr. Horner. Its location at the Hermitage was particularly delightful and the magnificent vista of snow and glacier scenery was a constant refresher -and inspiration to the delegates during the intervals between the long and fairly exhausting sessions. Thirty-two delegates, representing 27 chambers were in attendance and among the visitors were the Hon. 1\ A. de la P ere 11© (whose portfolios included those of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister of Industries and Commerce), Mr. T. D. Bennett, ALP. (Teinuka), Mr. H. H.- Sterlino- (General Manager of Railways) and L. A. Paish, British Trade -Commissioner in New Zealand. Very strenuous work was performed bv the delegates. Lengthy sittings were held and on one occasion lasted until 12.10 a.m..

In officially opening the conference the Hon. de’ la Perefie had given an assurance- that the Government would give very careful consideration to the resolutions which concerned it and that it was the desire of the- Government to -co-operate with the chambers of commerce and other organisations in their efforts to -solve the problems confronting the country.

GOLD DISTRIBUTION

The presidential address, delivered by Mr. G. P. Agar of Christchurch, was particularly well prepared and interesting. Among other matters the president dealt with the question of gold distribution' and its effect upon price levels. Mr. Agar had urged! that, as the question was an international one atfeoting! csil couirbries wibli bliG -standard, it could -be solved only by a world conference of economists and bankers representing the countries affected. Mr. Agar bad also .-refei 1 eel in turn to the 'present position of our imports and exports andt the general balance of trade, to the heavy land taxation from which New Zealand was suffering and also the effect upon the -farmer of the increasing tendency to provide tariff protection f-or -secondary industries. Mr. Agar had expressed the conviction that the associated chambers of commerce were -doing useful work in the interests of the Dominion as a- whole, rather than in the .interest of persons or particular- paities. After the- conference of the previous year they Jiad entered upon the tni-esh-.'old of a new career and had been afforded the opportunity of becoming an ■organisation which could do- a vast amount of good. Mr. Agar had concluded by recalling that at t-he previous conference- it had been decided to extend the- activities of the associated chambers and they had taken ove-r the wcrir of the 1928 Committee of the Taxpayers ’ Federation.

MERGER FOR PROGRESS. The report of the executive of the associated chambers had shown that very definite progress had been made during the year, continued Mr. Horner. Among other matters referred to in the executive report was the appointment of a full time organiser who could be constantly in action following up the various matters which might come before the- executive and making representations to the authorities'. Other similar bodies with at Wellington had recognised also the need of having a- full time organiser and, as a result, the 1928 Committee and the Taxpayers’ Federation had both agreed to merge themselve-s in a central committee of the associated chambers ais ( being the most suitable body to represent all their interests and to maintain constant pressure on the Ministers of the various Government departments to- have effect given to the viewpoints of the commercial community. The executive bad appointed Mr. G. W. Massingham as its full time- organisersecretary and, as a- res hit of the- extension of the activities of the central committee and the merger of the other organisations, the various chambers throughout the Dominion could rely on having their representations well looked after at the Wellington end by a strong and representative body. FIFTY-ONE REMITS. The agenda paper for attention by the conference was a- very heavy one, continued Mr. Horner. In addition to 51 remits on various matters, addresses were given on special subjects- by Mr. W. Machin, of Christchurch, on “unemployment” ; Mr. Render, -of Wellington. -on “commercial education” ; Dr. Neale, of Auckland, on “local body indebtedness,” and by Mr. A. U. Cameron, jif Dunedin, on “taxation.” The discussions were very ably controlled by Mr. C. I*. Agar, tlie president-. The addresses were- sandwiched in among the remits in such a way a-s to make a break in tlie ordinary discussions and also to use. the addresses as a. means -of information and guidance upon various remits. Referring to- the earlier of the remits presented to the conference, Mr Horner spoke of that dealing with the hire-purchase agreement principle. Proposals for registration of all such agreements were received from tlie Alar ton branch, but were .rejected in favour of a remit from Masterton which was adopted recommending that, for every motor car -sold on time payment, an instrument should be registered. During the discussion on the proposals Air Horner, together with other speakers, had urged that the remedy suggested in the remits would hardly be an effective cure of the evil.

In relation to the -same subject a Dunedin, remit had been adopted with.

special reference to bankruptcy. It recommended that, in the event of an owner retaking possession of a chattel of a hire-purchase agreement within two months of the bailee being adjudged bankrupt-, the creditors’ trustee should have the right to acquire the chattel on payment of the balance owing in respect of it-.

LAND SETTLEMENT. The Chambers -of Commerce Conference had always held that much mo-re attention should he given by-the Government to the question of land settlement, and an Auckland remit had been discussed urging the necessity for prosecuting an intensive land settlement policy upon group scheme lines and that all idle lands contiguous to railways -should he classified with a view to the use of -such before other blocks further back. Finally a re-solu-tion had been adopted urging the necessity for the vigorous prosecution of an intensive land settlement policy. The prejudicial effect on trade and industry of the present Arbitration Act had been considered in a remit from Dunedin requesting the abolition of the compulsory clauses of the Act. After explanation by Mr A. C. Cameron the principle of the remit was approved, with the additional recommendation that an amendment of tlie Act be made to effect reference of dismites compulsorily to the Conciliation Courts. DOMINION RAILWAYS.

After reviewing the remits on loan polls and regional planning, Mr Horner referred to remits from Napier and Auckland dealing with the Dominion railways. These, after lengthy discussion, led to the adoption of a resolution expressing concern at the attitude towards the Railway Commission report and urging the Government to rive effect to the report at the earliest possible moment and that the proposed commission, or board of control, should not be of a political character. Remits dealing with rating and subsidies thereon, railway level crossings, highways, motor regulations, British preferential duties, commercial statutes and -other legislation, commercial education, taxation, discounts and coupon systems, wages, the retirement of civil servants, land valuation, power board election procedure, tlie growing indebtedness of local bodies, the constitution of tlie Dairy Produce Export Board, the appointment of Trade Commissioners, the self-expres-sion.-of individual chambers of commerce, information concerning contracttenders, inland banking exchanges, protection to suppliers of contract material. unemployment, constitution and procedure of Parliament, the Board of Trade Act. the election dav halfholiday, the review of depreciation allowance for income tax purposes, minors in business. State trading, private sidings on railways and distress warrant affidavits were among others dealt with and explained by Mr Horner.

empire FEDERATION. Mr Horner also referred to -speeches made at a dinner at which delegates were the guests of the South Canterbury chambers, tlie election of officers of the Associated Chambers for tlie ensuing year and the location of the 1931 conference at Chateau Tongariro. In view of the fact that the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire would be held in New Zealand for 1933, the New Zealand i Chambers .were given the privilege of nominating the Federation President for that year. As the result of a ballot -of delegates, the -selection for that high -office fell on Mr W. Machin, of Christchurch, the Dominion’s repre■vfntative at the British Empire Conference this year. “Whilst the conference was a strenuous -one, the delegates made the most of the hours between the conference -sessions to fraternise and discuss matter of mutual interest and this was i probably one of the most valuable aspects of the conference,” concluded Mr Horner. “Meeting at a time when economic changes and falling prices were being felt throughout tlie whole world, when problems of unemployment, ecenomy, taxation and tlie like were more urgent than ever before, tlie whole proceedings of the conference and its discussions were of more than ordinary interest and it was felt by all tlie delegates that the 1930 conference had been a particularly valuable one and that the remits and resolutions would help- in no -small wav to solve some of the problems which are confronting the commercial and economic life of our Dominion to-day. In particular the uniting of the Taxpayers’ Federation and the 192 S Committee with the Chamber of Commerce executive in one bio; central committee shows that the officials of those organisations have realised the value of combining their forces for more effective effort and, instead of several bodies pressing' their individual, and sometimes -sectional, viewpoints on the Government, we will now have the benefit of united counsel and co-opera-tion among those who to-day believe : n the doctrine of self-help instead of State aid, of economv in public expenditure. of the application of business methods in Government administration. and of the importance of developing and protecting our primary industries, which are, after all, the foundation of the country’s prosperity.”

DISTRICT CO-ORDINATION. Mr O. Freyberg (District Public Ai'ustee) voiced appreciation ol tlie comprenensiv© outline given by Air Horner or tae arums oi toe conrerence. He raised tlie question or the- possibility ol certain oi tlie resolutions having ueen adopted by small majorities and the aisd-oni ol using discretion m action on such owing to tile possibility ql a subsequent conrerence reversing the decision. iiie majority of the resolutions approved had. been adopted by very suostantial majorities, said Air Horner in reply. Tile subject put forward by Air rl ey berg had actually been considered | at- the cqnterence and ill discussion concerning it Air Horner had received, the encouragement of the president to his suggestion that a -remit to deal with it .mould be put forward at the next conference. I Further congratulations ancl explanation of the many importants matters which had been before the conference were voiced by Messrs Ei. K. Cameron (secretary of the South Tar-1 anaki executive of the Farmers’ l niou), Air E. Long (chairman of the VVainiate- West County Council), All* E. Dixon (a former president of the chamber), Air A. H. Yarrow (chairman of tile Maiiaiu. Town Board). l\lr O. H. Wisher (Hgmont A. and P. Association), and the chairman of the meeting.

A vote of thanks to Air Horner was endorsed 1 with acclamation.

“I led that we have a great district m South Taranaki, and that it lias a grout -spirit of progress,” said Air Horner in voicing an appeal for a coordination of town and country activities. He. urged that co-operation between those desirous of fostering th© various interests would lead- to common benefit through the development of the spirit of mutual understanding which was necessary to the progress qf the district as airhole.