UNFAIR TRADING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 268, 27 October 1932, Page 7

UNFAIR TRADING

PLEA FOR PRIVATE ENTER PRISE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE DISCUSSION. REMIT TO GOVERNMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, October 27. At the annual meeting of the Associated Chambers ox Commerce, Mr D. J. McGowan j -esented a remit reaffirming that the Government be urged to eliminate unfair State and public body competition with private enterprise in trading activities, and the repeal of special legislation which curtails and interferes with legitimate private tradMr McGowan claimed that private enterprise could always provide for greater employment than enterprises by the State. State and municipal enterprises were not run on the same economic basis as private enterprises. He gav» as an instance railway activities in providing fleets of motor lorries at prices for transport with which private owners could not compete. The Railway Department was even found in the ranks of furniture manufacturers and iron founders. It was obvious that m the State departments increased their competition with private traders more workers must be thrown into the tanks of the unemployed.

Mr J. P. Luke said that the movement was towards the socialisation of industry. They should protest direct to the Government, not to the Railways Board. Parliament should determine the point, not the Railways Board. Mr Machin said that the chambers had always pressed for a board of business men to run the railways. He thought it would be better to discuss the matter with the board.

Mr H. H. Sterling, in answer to a question, said that as a general rule the board could not receive deputations. If the business was important enough the board would receive a deputation, and the board had already agreed to accept a deputation as asked by the chambers. The remit was adopted.