GOVERNMENT CONTROL

Northern Advocate, 9 June 1933, Page 6

GOVERNMENT CONTROL

INTERFERENCE REPENTED. lU.BIXE.ss MEN SPEAK EP. DISCUSSIONS IN EtTERE. The quest ion as In whether polities : should be discussed in a general maoI oer at Chamber of Commerce meetings was debased by the Whangarci Chamber of Commerce I;us| (‘veiling. 'The matter Avas raised by Mr R. If. Allan at the meeting of the Council of the "’.'ham her. “Previously,” said Mr Allan, “politics have been discussed at meetings, but members are now questioning tins right." Mr ,J. Bnrfoot said Mr Allan had hit upon one of the most, vital problems in Chamber of Commcree work today, lie thought it was high lime some action was taken. Chambers did not want party politics, but be considered that all chambers of commerce should hit out for financial freedom. A Government in any country was not run by a, committee of financial experts, and in this connection not many business men had anything to say. In his younger days he had been taught that New Zealand enjoyed religious, political and financial freedom, but. he questioned whether they now had the la»stmcnlioned. So great was Government interference today, he said, that no one knew where it Avon Id end. There Avas too much party political influence at the present time, which had a bad influence. A business created reserves for the purpose of carrying it over a. period of depression; and he considered that if Noav Zealand had done this in times gone by, there would not be the position obtaining today. He declared that most companies without these reserves were failing. In good times the Minister of Finance was a popular man when he spent, but in bad times lie Avas unpopular. Government taxes were now almost officious. He considered that the Sales Tax should bo fought tooth and nail by all chambers of commerce. Mr Bnrfoot then turned to the question of motor transport, and said that the campaign of the Transport Boards in putting services off the road was unfair. Taking the North, he eaid that Whangarci was the natural centre, and, to expand, must have cheap freight rates. Places not tapped by the railway should be accessible by motor, but if the present system was continued, within six months motor transport would bo driven off the road. That policy, he AAjent on, would not stop at transport. “We must cither adopt a Communistic state, or remain in the same taxable condition,” he said, asking that the chamber stand out for the prevention of Government interference. Air J. G. Barclay said * that the county council, in co-operation with the dairy companies, was endeavouring to eliminate unnecessary motor transport competition. However, he considered it unnecessary to nm throe buses Avhere two avouUl suffice. The elimination of this nnnocessay competition would relieve the ratepayers. If no bus service, was operating on a route, Mr Barclay said, he did not think f7ie Transport Licensing Authority would prevent its inauguration. The railways should not be robbed by motor transport. Lorry and bus ser-vir-es only operated on remunerative routes, whereas the railway ran everyAvhere. Air Allan moved that in future the chamber allow open discussion on any political matters. This wa« seconded by Air Bnrfoot and carried.