CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21326, 29 October 1932, Page 10

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

DECISIONS AT CONFERENCE REMOVING TRADE RESTRICTIONS [dy TELEGRAPH —PRESS association] DUNEDIN, Friday A wide range of subjects was discussed by delegates at (lie annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce to-day. Mr. W. Bottrell (Canterbury) submitted the following remit: "That this conference is convinced that the restrictive provisions of the Board of Trade Act, the Commercial Trusts, and Cost of Living Acts operate to the detriment of business and the community generally, and therefore urges on the Government the immediate repeal of these Acts." On the suggestion of Mr. Stronach Paterson the words after "Government" were deleted, and the following words added, "their radical amendment on the lines recently presented to the Government by a deputation sponsored by this association." The remit was then adopted. A remit asking the Government to appoint two experienced commercial men to visit, the forthcoming Shanghai Exhibition and other portions of the East, with a view to opening up direct trade, was withdrawn. Mr. Stronach Paterson said that if there were opportunities private enterprise could be relied on to take them. A remit that "in the opinion of the conference the time has arrived when the necessity for the registration of all hire and customary purchase agreements of chattels should be reimposed," was rejected. The greater part of the afternoon was occupied with discussion 011 tho division of the product of industry. A lengthy address on the subject was given by Mr. H. S. E. Turner (Christchurch), who suggested that the Railway Board, with the help of the Transport Board, was trying to establish as nearly as possible a monopoly of transport. He felt sure that the result woidd be the same as the result of all monopolies, unfair exploitation joined with inefficiency. Mr. A. S. Burgess (Wanganui) was elected president for tho coming year, and Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington) vice-presi-dent. It was decided to hold the next annual conference at Wanganui.