CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22141, 21 June 1935, Page 15

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

VARIED ACTIVITIES FUNCTIONS OUTLINED A variety of questions which are engaging the attention of the executive of the Associated Chambers of Commerce were discussed by the secretary, Mr. A. 0. Heany, at a meeting of the council of the Auckland chamber yesterday. Mr. Heany's visit has been arranged to coincide with a campaign that is being conducted by the Auckland chamber with the object of increasing its membership. At a luncheon, held in Milne and Choyce's Reception Hall following the meeting, and attended by approximately 60 members, Mr. Heany gave an address entitled "Giving Business its Voice."

Speaking of the history of chambers of commerce, Mr. Heany said the desire to protect the interests of particular classes in th% community, either of citizens, traders or craftsmen, had always existed. The actual chamber of commerce movement had its birth more than 300 years ago in France. Now it girdled the world. The chamber of commerce was a centre for the exchange of commercial thought, a platform for the utterance of commercial opinion, and a co-ordinating factor in regard to different sections of the community. "It is not always understood that the function <4 chambers of commerce is to co-operate wherever possible with the elected representatives of the people on Government bodies," continued the speaker. "There is a tendency to think the chamber of commerce does nothing else but criticise. That is duo to the fact that when there is criticism, that attracts attention, whereas when there is co-operation, that is taken as a matter of course."