DRAPERS’ AND CLOTHIERS’ CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18172, 17 February 1921, Page 3

DRAPERS’ AND CLOTHIERS’ CONFERENCE.

Under the chairmanship of Mr JJ R. Rendell (president of the Auckland Association), the first annual conference of the newly-formed New Zealand Federation 'of Drapers, Clothiers, and Mercers opened yesterday in the Early Settlers’ Hall. Between 30 and 40 representatives were present. Among the visiting delegates were Messrs J. R. Rendell, Geo. Tutt; A. Court (Auckland), E. H. Wyles, Chas. Ogilvie, A. F. Carey (Christchurch), W. Simm, Thos. Forsyth, D. S. Patrick, F. G. Page, J. Leuchars (Wellington), A. Kohn (Napier), E. A. Westennan, H. C. Baird (Hastings), R. D. Lowers (Stratford), W. Thomson, F. A. Webb (Invercargill), and James Gray (Milton). ■ Mr James Mollisori (president of the Otago Association) extended a very hearty welcome to the visitors to Dunedin, and trusted that in addition to the benefit that must accrue to the trade from so well-attended a conference and the important deliberations in view, the delegates would enjoy their brief stay in the city. Mr J. R. Rendell, in his opening address, referred to the need of co-operation among allied interests brought about by the_ serious menace of official ignorance of retail trading conditions, allied with the, further menace of political expediency, evidenced in the inequitable conditions of the Board of Trade Act. Every member of the allied trades must recognise the need of a united federation for defensive as well as for oon'structive work in the general interests of the whole of the trade. The report referred to the deputations of traders who waited on the Prime Minister in March, and again in May and August, and the work done in connection with the Shops and Offices Acts, pointing out that the principle of replacement value had been finally vindicated by the Court of Appeal. The election of officers resulted in Mr J. R." Rendell (Auckland) being unanimously elected the first president of the federation, Mr E. H. Wyles (Christchurch) being elected vice-president. Mr W. Simm (Wellington) was elected to the Wellington Advisory Board, and Mr W. E. Nicolls (Wellington) as auditor. . . The first remit, “Vocational Training, was introduced by Mr Geo. Crow (Dunedin), who urged its importance as a means to increased staff efficiency and the creation of an improved relationship between employer and employee. 1 ■ Mr Penrose (Dunedin) illustrated the scheme of staff training, for mental and physical development, used in his own business, for the encouragement of a spirit of confidence and loyalty and co-operation between the management and the employees. The extensive scheme of similar welfare work inaugurated by Messrs Milne and Choyce (Ltd.), of Auckland, in which each beginner in the trade is taken in hand, and put through a proper educational curriculum of business training in ( the firm’s time, was also explained as a proved means to the cultivation of a definite personal interest in the young untrained employee. As this is esteemed a most important subject amid the changifag conditions of employment, it was resolved—“ That this conference affirms the desirability of closer cooperation between employer and employee, and the inauguration amongst members of a systematic course of instruction to encourage greater efficiency among the junior mem Mrs of the staff.” On the question of the, dumping of German goods, the conference passed a resolution urging the Prime Minister to impress upon the Home Government the need of action to the flow of manufactured goods to. the detriment of Home industries and the industries of New Zealand. Considerable time was given tq a discussion of the misleading nature of the trade information cabled to the New Zealand newspapers, and also to the advertising charges made and the circulations claimed by some newspapers in which drapers and clothiers advertise extensively.