ASSOCIATED CHAMBERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22398, 20 October 1934, Page 5

ASSOCIATED CHAMBERS

MANY SUBJECTS DEALT WITH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE Many and varied subjects have engaged the attention of the executive during the year, states the annual report of the executive of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand. The association has continued to act as a clearing house on national matters for the chambers that comprise the association, and, in addition to the specific points of policy which the association pursues, it has been th endeavour to co-operate with the elected representatives of,the people, to act and advise constructively, and Energetically to advance the viewpoint of the commercial community in relation to national questions, states the report. Efforts in the direction of securing 1 greater economy in government were continued by the executive throughout the year. As soon as the estimates of Government expenditure appeared in November, they were analysed by the executive, and a detailed newspaper article published dealing with Government departments in turn, and showing where further Government economies could be made by the adoption of recommendations of the National Expenditure Commission. Correspondence was entered into with the Minister of Industries and Commerce on questions raised with the Minister regarding departmental expenditure. A few days before the appearance of the Budget in the House, the executive prepared and published a detailed statement, giving comparisons of Government expenditure over a period of years and showing how total expenditure had not decreased, but had increased by millions. The statement also dealt with taxation and showed how this had steadily increased per capita. Greater economy and tax reductions were urged. Following considerable research, the executive published a newspaper article showing the present number of public servants and tlieir salary and wages bill, and, in the light of the facts revealed, urging that there be no increase' in Goverjnnient activities. ■ \2. LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE. A remit dealing with local government expenditure was presented to the Prime Minister, who said the matter was being given attention. The executive continued to make representations on the subject of the promised local body commission. When it wan proposed that the order of reference oi the commission be confined to counties and rural districts within county areas, the executive took the matter up with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr 1 J. A. Young), pointing out 'how such an order of. reference,’ excluding as it did boroughs and hospital boards, would prevent the commission from devising any substantial measure of reform. In addition, the president of the association made a public statement on the subject. It has now been stated that the commission will be set up after the close of the current session of Parliament. A frank and friendly discussion on Government interference in business, as on other remits,; took place between the executive, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Industries and Commerce. Several matters bearing on the remit .were gone over. 1 and of View exchanged. Consideration •of the points made was promised by Mr Forbes on behalf of. the Government,-, j ; - MORTGAGE, LEGISLATION. . - Following representations'by the executive on the stated intention of the Government to introduce legislation during the current session of Parliament extending the mortgage legislation for two years—which extension the executive pointed out was not necessary owing to the provision made in the existing Act —the Minister advised that “ *he attitude, of the Government in the matter would be entirely contingent on the trend of economic conditions.” rf, ; ;

The dropping by the Government o£ the Building Construction Bill followed consistent efforts by the executive over two years, by way of newspaper publicity, the giving of evidence before committees of the .House, and representations to the Minister of Public Works. The Bill had, , a fully commendable object, namely, safer constructional methods in building for. the protection of life in ' the event of earthquake, but the method by which it was proposed to accomplish this involved ejass taxation, and expensive and bureaucratic machinery. Tts effect on the business community in particular would have been onerous. The Government dropped the Bill in favour of another method, under which a model set of by-laws will be administered by borough councils. The executive, in support of this, asked all chambers to urge on their respectivelocal authorities the necessity of bringing into force reasonable regulations regarding "earthquake resisting buildings. PRICE OF PETROL. When the Motor Spirits (Regulation of Prices) Bill was introduced late in the 1933 session of Parliament, the executive protested against such hasty legislation, and against the proposals of the Bill, while it also drew warning attention to the grave danger involved in allowing that the State may assume control of private business by fixing the prices of goods, commodities, and services. This was the principle involved, and which caused the executive considerable concern. The Bill was passed into law, but the Minister of Industries and Commerce announced later that there would be no fixation of prices by the Government under the Act. The executive published an article commending the Minister for his frank statement, and pointed to the dangers attending general price fixation by the Government, and gave, particulars of the self-confessed failure of, and the injury caused by, the general price-fixation efforts of the .Victorian (Australian) Government during the war. MONETARY SYSTEM. In view of the unsound schemes relative to the monetary system, which were being submitted to the Parliamentary Monetary Committee, which was set up to make an inquiry, the executive considered that the association should make \ a clear statement of the views of the ! commercial community on the subject. ,It therefore prepared astatement which it presented to the committee, explaining factors other than monetary ones which had to be considered in relation to present conditions, expressing confidence in the present banking system of New Zealand, opposing any new system which would be unable to command the same confidence, and detailing steps necessary in consequence of past actions, both public and private. The statement was by special arrangement given wide newspaper publicity. DAIRY INDUSTRY. When the national conference connected with the dairy industry was held in March, the executive, having given earnest study to the situation of the industry, addressed a statement to the Prime Minister, as chairman of the conference. expressing the commercial viewpoint on the question. The statement, which was of a comprehensive nature, pointed out the grave results that would follow any imposition of a quota on New Zealand dairy produce, and suggested

that every possible alternative means of agreement with the British Government should he explored; it urged improvement in the quality of our produce and tjie finding of new markets —the latter by an extension of trade agreements with other countries if necessary; it suggested that the country should cease forthwith the various devices adopted to maintain and expand uneconomic production of butterfat, and, finally, it urged that the industry should examine closely tire possibilities of production alternative to the production of butterfat, expressing the view that every encouragement should bo given to those persons who cannot produce butter-fat at to-day’s prices to develop alternative lines of production. TOURIST TRAFFIC. The association was invited toy- the Minister in Charge of Tourist and Publicity (Mr A. Hamilton) to be represented, with other bodies, at a conference held in August to consider ways and means of improving the tourist business of the Dominion, and the executive appointed representatives. The conference did not go into details concerning present efforts-and arrangements relating to the tourist business, but confined itself to the broad question of policy. In accordance with a remit carried at the 1925 conference of the associated chambers, it was moved on behalf of the association, and decided by the tourist conference: —“That the Government and private interests involved in tourist and publicity matters in New Zealand be co-ordinated, first by placing the Tourist Department under... the control of a board, separated from the Public Service, then by developing all the interests affected for the purpose of bringing - tourists to and caring for them in New Zealand.” A provisional committee was set up, including Mr C. A. L. Treadwell, who was one of the executive of the associated chambers present, at tin) conference. TELEGRAPH RATES. , Protests against the new telegraph charges introduced by the Postmastergeneral were received by the executive from; a number of chambers, who drew attention to a number of anomalies and pointed out that, while the Postmastergeneral had repeatedly stated that the change was not made for the purpose of obtaining'more revenue, the new rates actually meant extra taxation. The executive believes that the higher rates are merely to enable the Government to cover up losses in other directions. However, in view of the statement by the Postmaster-general, that the new charges will'be reviewed after they have been in operation for six months, the executive decided to withhold any action in the matter, but meantime to watch carefully the effect of the rates. The important work of the executive in informing the general public and educating opinion on matters of moment was continued by the preparation of articles on a large variety o.f subjects and their publication throughout the press. In addition, wide publicity was given to policy matters in other ways. The organisation and machinery which the association has enables it to take immediate,- action in matters, of importance, thereby removing a complaint made a few. years ago by the press that business organisations had nothing to say on a subject until it was too late to be of use or interest. Thanks are due to the press for the considerable space and support accorded the association’s material/