SERIOUS DIFFERENCE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 157, 19 June 1935, Page 7

SERIOUS DIFFERENCE

Canterbury C. of C. Split

COUNCIL MEMBERS RESIGN Considerable Feeling Reported (By Telegraph-Prew Association.' CHRISTCHURCH, June 19. With the resignation of several prominent members from the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce a serious split has occurred in the ranks of that organisation. The members who have resigned are Messrs. A. O. Wilkinson (past-president), L. G. Stevens (vice-president), John MaeGibbon, A. M. Burns (treasurer) and A. C. Bretherton.

The members mentioned resigned on the ground that their special report upon relations with the Associated Chambers of Commerce was not satisfactorily dealt with by the Chamber. It is understood that, although they were requested by the council to do so, they have declined to withdraw their resignations, which have been accepted.

Tho origin of the trouble, it is stated, was a decision by the Canterbury Chamber to dissociate itself from criticism of the Mortgage Corporation proposals expressed in a report circulated by the Associated Chambers. When the difference between the Canterbury Chamber and the Associated Chambers arose Messrs. Wilkinson, Steven, Mac Gibbon, Burns and Brother ton were appointed a committee to re port on relations between the two bodies regarding the Mortgage Corporation. The report of this committee was then considered by the Canterbury Chamber and as a result of the manner in which the report was dealt with the committee members resigned from the council.

Considerable feeling is said to exist on the matter. Discussing the position, one of the members who resigned said that the Canterbury Chambers’ criticism of tho Associated Chambers’ report was the equivalent of a vote of no coiifidence in the Dominion organisation.