CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVII, Issue 142, 18 June 1913, Page 8

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.

ANNUAL ASSOOIATED MEETING

THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH,

[Pbess Association.] (Received June 17, 8.40 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 17. At the annual meeting of the Associated Chambers of Commerce Mr Braddon, the president, in his opening speech, said that the chief reason for the gold shortage was. probably the adverse Australian trade balance, due to the importing of more than the Commonwealth could pay for with her exports. The wave of latterniay personal extravagance unduly stimulated imports. Regarding the labor unrest the employers as a, rule had no objection, Mi' Braddon said, to collective bargaining with labor unions, so long as the bargain were honorably observed, but it ■was notorious that the men in many cases lately had not respected the bargain a moment longer, than suited them. Compulsory arbitration had hopelessly broken down. It was found in practice that members of the larger unions could not be coerced into working even by their own leaders, if they decided otherwise. One of the worst features in evidence latterly was the deliberately reduced effort of the workers at a time when they were constantly claiming shorter hours and larger pay.