ASSOCIATED CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VII, Issue 330, 29 November 1917, Page 3

ASSOCIATED CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.

ADDRESS BY PRIME MINISTER [FIB PBFRR ASSOCIATION.! Wellington, Nov. -.8. The Prime Minister, addressing the New Zealand Chambers of .Commerce to-day, said our exports of produce for the ten months of this vear had been £26,282,878, and the estimate for November and December was not less than five iniUions, making about £32.000,000 foi th ye Mr. Massey emphasised the necessity of tariff revision alter the war, the importance ot .. trade preference, and alluded to Britain s self-contained position as an Empire for trade and. the suPPD of raw' materials of all kinds. Lbe necessity of attending to the question of immigration within the Empire and retaining the German possession taken by us in. the Pacific w as also dwelt on by the Premier. The conference decided that t.:c Government be again urged to amend the Bankruptcy Act by giving effect to the recommendations oi previous conferences. It was also resolved that in the next amending Tariff.Bill provision should be made for the removal oi the disabilities imposed on New Zealand ship builders under the existing regulations, as compared v.itn those of the Australian tariff. The conference further re-affirmed the resolutions passed in previous years in favour of reciprocal tia.cL.ng relations between all parts ot the British Empire and with Alheo countries, and ior the favourable treatment of neutral countries. The conference then adopted t.ie following resolutions : — That with a view to encouraging the establishment of new industries in the British Empire and giving a measure of confidence and security to capital to be embarked therein, as well as assisting the expansion of, existing industries, the Governments of the Empire be urged to make it obligatory on all Government Departments, municipalities, Railways, Dock and Harbour Boards,. Gas, .Water and Electric Light Corporations, and all such bodies spending public moneys or enjoying charters from the Government or other public authorities, to purchase Empiremade goods and to place all contracts with British firms, exceptions to be made by special permission of the proper authority only in cases where such a course is considered to be at variance with public interests.

That the N ew Zealand Government be asked to endeavour, when peace negotiations are in progress, to arrange that as a basis of future security in the Pacific German Samoa be retained as a British possession. That in any negotiations for peace between the Allies and the Central Powers the enemy Governments be compelled to make compensation for ships illegally destroyed, ship for ship, or ton for ton. Another remit adopted recommended a lower scale of tonnage dues and the port charges should apply in all British ports to British-owned vessels. Privileges in British ports should be accorded to Allied and neutral shipping equivalent only to the corresponding privileges accorded to British shipping by the Allied and neutral countries. Enemy shipping should pay in British ports at least double the dues paid by other shipping ; and that the Governments should by legislation empower the Harbour : Board authorities in the Dominion tb impose differential rates of tonnage dock and wharf dues and port charges.