CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22328, 31 July 1934, Page 6

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL The monthly meeting of the council of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce was held in the Savoy last night, and was attended by the president (Mr W, H. Brent) and Messrs C. B. Barrowclough, G. Simpson, A. C. Laing, Newman R. Wilson, N. Wood, H. J. Lousley, C. J. Darracott, J. P. P. Clouston, A. Mumford, J. R. Fairbairn, I. M'Farlane, W. D. Lambert, W. Cole, W. E. Earnshaw, James Hogg, Charles Baker, D. W. M'Cay, H. Brasch, and James Begg. EXECUTIVE'S REPORT. The executive submitted the following report:— Government and Local Body Building.— Further replies have been received from other chambers to our letter in regard to Government and local bodies erecting buildings beyond the needs of the department concerned, thus entering into competition with private enterprise. The replies generally support the views of this chamber. Unemployment Board's Building -Subsidy Scheme.—ln reply to our letter of June 27 urging that the Unemployment Board revive the building subsidy scheme, the Minister of Employment (Mr Adam Hamilton) has replied stating that our views would be brought before the Unemployment Board. It has since been announced that the Unemployment Board has decided to re-establish the scheme on revised conditions. British Industries House in London.— TJ«e Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr It. Masters) has forwarded information regarding the establishment in London of a British industries house which is reserved exclusively for British good* whether from the Home country or from the dominions. The aims and objects of the institution are to provide an Empire buying centre wherein manufacturers and other producers, having no recognised exchange marts, will be provided with a continuity of opportunity for displaying their products and for making commercial contacts with buyers from all over the world. Calendar Reform. —A committee consisting of Messrs C. B. Barrowclough, C. J\ Darracott, R. C. Burgess, and J. C. Begg has been appointed to watch matters in connection with calendar reform, and discuss the matter with other bodies interested.

Unemployment Camps.—A request was received from the Mayor asking if members of the executive could accompany him on a visit to the camps in Central Otago. The executive replied stating that it considered that the question of conditions of the camps is a matter for the community, and not for one section of it, but would be glad to co-operate as far as possible in arranging representations from business men who would make the visit as citizens and not as members of the chamber. ,

Bankruptcy Law.—Among the resolutions carried at the latest Congress of Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire was one calling special attention to the recommendations made by a committee of the federation in a report on the bankruptcy law of the British Empire. One of the objects is to obtain uniformity throughout the Empire, and the views of overseas chambers of commerce regarding the matter were sought. The question was referred to the Law Society of Otago, which has expressed the opinion that the question should be dealt with by the New Zealand Law Society in Wellington. Destruction of Farm Lands by Mining. —The Minister of Lands (Mr E. A. Ransom), in reply to our letter urging that legislation be introduced making it Impossible for good arable land to be sluiced away by mining, states that the matter is one that affects the administration of the Mining Act, 1926, and he is communicating wjth the Minister of Mines, so that the matter may be looked into by his department. Direct Shipping from United Kingdom.— Negotiations have been carried on by the Wellington Chamber, acting on behalf of the southern ports of New Zealand, with a view to vessels from the West Coast of England making South Island or Wellington first port of call. A reply has nowbeen received from the London authorities with whom arrangements for outloadings are made, stating that they regret the request cannot be entertained owing to the deviation and expense involved. Municipal Trading.-r-On June ,27 members of the executive, together with members of the executive of Master Plumbers' Association, waited on the Gas Committee and urged that the council hand over all plumbing work to the recognised firms of the city. A reply has been received from the town.clerk stating that the committee is unable to meet the request. Arrangements Annual Meeting.—A reply has been received from Sir Cecil Day, official secretary to his Excellency the Governor-General, stating that his Excellency will be pleased to attend our annual meeting on August 21. and deliver an address.

The report was adopted. SCHEME TO INCREASE EMPLOYMENT.

A letter was received from the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) stating that representatives of the Rotary Club had submitted to him suggestions for the inauguration in Dunedin of a scheme for assisting in opening avenues for the employment of people at their customary occupations. The scheme was referred to as the "Bristol" scheme, and had been in operation in many of the English cities for some time. Recently it had been introduced in Christehurch, and was said to have been highly successful. The basic idea upon which the scheme rested was that a representative committee of citizens be set up to propagate the slogan "Do it now" —that was, that any job of work that individual citizens might have in contemplation should be put in hand forthwith. The success of the scheme depended upon considerable organisation, and he was, therefore, asking representatives of a number of local associations to attend a meeting to-morrow. He asked that the chamber diould be represented. Mr Hogg said that the object was to create employment by encouraging people to spend money and to do necessary work immediately. If £25,000 or £30,000 could he spent in Dunedin the benefit would be very great. The chairman and Messrs Barrowclough and Simpson were appointed to-represeut the chamber at the meeting. EARTHQUAKE RISK. Mr Darracott said that the Vigilance Committee had considered a letter from the Royal Society of New Zealand, pointing out the risk from earthquakes, and urging the chamber to support the proposed Building Construction Bill. On the recommendation of the committee it was decided to reaffirm the chamber's decision to oppose the Bill, and to support the issuing of local by-laws. The chairman said that the executive of the Associated Chambers had had before it at its last meeting a proposal from Napier members that every insurer should pay a small tax on premiums to create an earthquake relief fund. The suggestion had not been at all favourably received, and he personally had suggested that if such a fund were created it should be a calamity fund and should cover disasters caused by frost and flood. The Associated Chambers had been informed, however, that the Government was conferring with the Underwriters' Association with respect to the proposal, and a committee had, therefore, been set up to go into the matter. There was a danger, he added, in having such a fund under political control. They all knew the weakness of the Government for making use of such funds. The general opinion of members appeared to be against the proposal, but no action was taken. GENERAL. Mr C. J. Wood was thanked for a report on the work of the Flock House Committee, and Was reappointed the chamber's repi - esentative for a further period. Advice was received from the Auckland Chamber that it had received from the Prime Minister a letter stating that he hoped to be in a position to have a statement made at an early date indicating the nature of the steps to be taken with respect to local body reform. The secretary of the New Zealand Trade Revival Committee (Hobart) wrote thanking the chamber for its efforts to have Hobart included as a port of call for the Maheno and asking it to continue its efforts. Mr Arthur M'Donald was elected a member of the chamber. As the meeting was the last at which the present council will be assembled before the annual meeting, the chairman thanked members for the support which they had accorded him.—Mr Barrowclough, replying on behalf of the council, paid a tribute to the manner in which the chairman had conducted the affairs of the chamber during the year.