MINISTRY OF COMMERCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15950, 22 June 1915, Page 5

MINISTRY OF COMMERCE.

AUCKLAND SUGGESTION.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ACTIVE. ■

COALITION DISCUSSED,

The council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, at a ' special meeting yesterday afternoon, presided over by Mr. Robert Burns, , adopted the following resolution, on the motion of the chairman :—

"That the. Government be urged to create a new portfolio and appoint a Minister for Commerce, whether a member of Cabinet or otherwise, who shall be present at meetings of the Overseas Shipping Committee, which at present allocates space, in order to see that justice is done to all shippers." 11l seconding the motion, Mr. E. Anderson said that he had noticed that one of the Southern chambers had suggested that there should be a fusion of parties in order to have one strong Ministry. The chamber was not a political body, and was not going to talk politics, but he did not think it would do any harm if an opinion was expressed by the chamber. He would like to see a proposal that they should support a coalition of the two parties. They could make a recommendation as a non-political body. He was quite sure that nine men out of ten in the Dominion to-day were prepared to sink their political views so as to have a strong party to deal with the enormous amount of work falling upon Ministers at the present time. Very important questions would have to be dealt with after the war. The commercial people throughout New Zealand would heartily support the proposal to establish a Ministry of Commerce. On Mr. J. H. Upton's suggestion, the words, "whether a member of Cabinet pr other wise," were added to the motion. It should be quite possible, he said, to find in Wellington or somewhere a man who could have the rank of a Minister of the Crown and receive a salary of about £1000 a year. Such a plan, he thought, would be more favoured by the Government.

The chairman went on to refer to the constitution of the Overseas Shipping Committee,/and said that the committee contained members whose interests were intertwined, not only with shipping companies, but with certain freezing companies in the South. The Auckland companies were left out in the cold. They did not insinuate in any way that the companies would not-give fair play, to Auckland, but anxiety would be relieved if the representation was altered. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr. G. L. Peacocko thought that the Prime Minister should be asked.to make very strong representations to the British Board of Trade, which controlled the produce ships, and \lius do something to lessen the shortage of insulated ships. Mr. Burns: The Board of Trade has taken ships away. Mr. Anderson: The Government is doing everything possible.