Remits Discussed

Northern Advocate, 27 November 1948, Page 4

Remits Discussed

COOPERATIVES: The Whangarei chamber proposed that the conference express disapproval at the continued development of Government-spon-sored cooperatives, both in manufacturing and general trading in direct opposition to private enterprise.

Mr W. L. McKinnon said “the chamber stood for free and honest private enterprise.

“We owe no allegiance to any political party,” he said, “and we are opposed .to monopolies, whoever may create them.

“I am not against consumer cooperatives provided that they conduct their activities on the same terms as industry generally. “Any private-enterprise unit desiring to set up competition to a Government concern has to comply with the Government yardstick. “That creates a monopoly. “Recently a tyre retreading company was formed. “The State Advances’ Corporation bought shares, and now holds 6000 shares out of 7000.

“Because of that I think a monopoly will be created.”

Supporting Mr McKinnon, Mr J. W. Parkin (Whangarei) said it was not difficult to. visualise that if the Gqvernment got what it wanted it would soon control the whole of the New Zealand rubber industry.

j The remit was carried. : ELECTRIC POWER: Moving that j the conference, on account of the re- } peated shortages of electrir power, ni-ge the Government of electric power the establishment of subsidiary power schemes, particularly in view of the potentialities of the thermal regions, Mr Cracknell said that, in spite of i strong protests, little had been done to deal with the power shortage. The electric power of the North Island depended upon Lake Taupo and tire weather in one small district. This was not good enough, said Mr Cracknell, and, as the demand increased, it would overtake the supply as new stations were built. Several alternatives had been proposed, such as Lake Omapere, Takake. and Ngawha, and little progress had been made to have these schemes in-

vestigated. Seconding the remit, Mr Rhys Williams (Kaitaia) said that all chambers were conscious of the urgent need

for. subsidiary power stations. Mr D. Wilson (Dargaville) said that a power scheme wholly dependent on Lake Taupo was too vulnerable in the event of an attack, and, furthermore, there was too much leakage of power in long feeder lines. Smaller stations at strategic points would deal with this difficulty. The remit was carried.

PETROL TAX: Moving that the conference make representations to the Government for provision of a larger allocation of the revenue derived from motor taxation for ’ the purpose of. improving and adequately maintaining all public roads in the Dominion, Mr H. A. Timbers (Kaitaia) said it had been most gratifying to see the work completed and being done on the roads. “I feel that it is all a matter of money,” Mr Timbers said.

“We have the men, machines and materials.

‘We do not want things to remain as they are but should let the authorities know that there are many other places needing attention. Mr Rhys Williams (Kaitaia) said Northland needed good roads more urgently than did the barren areas of Otago, where the road standard was very high. He said the Auckland-Whangarei road had deteriorated, rather than improved. 1

Mr J. J. Howarth (Kawakawa) said the improvements carried out on the Auckland-Whangarei road were not real ones.

Near Waipu, re-sealing was being done on the old surface. The part sealed last year was now being patched up, he said. - “We are sadly lacking in roading works—Northland gets what’s left over,” he continued.

“We all know that the roads of Northland are the worst in New Zealand,” said Mr R. E. Barnes (Dai’gaville).

“We should have more spent on the roads than is spent on other lessdeserving areas. Mr J. W. Parkin (Whangarei) said the railway truck service had broken down and many farmers were still waiting for last year’s allocation of manure, because of the lack of road transport. The remit was carried.

SHIPPING.—It was decided that the conference take full advantage of the present need for decentralisation of shipping from and to overseas ports, and make urgent representation to the Minister of Marine to have shipping diverted to Northland ports. Mr W. R. Vallance (Whangarei) said that the produce of Northland, valued at £7,000,000 a year, was all shipped through Auckland with the consequent loss of considerable time and labour.

Overseas firms operating ships and cargoes were becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the delays in turnround of ships and cargo handling caused by the congestion of the port of Auckland, and also labour disputes. This called for considerable capital expenditure to increase the facilities in Auckland, and it was claimed that the employment of this money in the smaller ports would pay a better dividend in cargo handling. There had been considerable waste of natural resources in New Zealand and failure to make use of natural assets such as the excellent harbours on the East Coast, said Mr Vallance. He continued that, after years of battling, Whangarei had obtained promise of a fertiliser works for Northland, and the despatch of manure to the North could be best dealt with through Opua and Mangonui. Mr E. L. Whimp (Whangarei) said that the cost of shipping meat from Moerewa to Auckland amounted to £34,000 last year, and this could be done for £6OOO through Opua or Whangarei. The rail service to Northland whs hopelessly inadequate, said Mr T. H. Busck (Whangarei) and all traffic which passed through Northland stations was held up by the Newmarket bottleneck.