COMMERCE CONGRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23002, 3 October 1936, Page 14

COMMERCE CONGRESS

INAUGURATION CEREMONY PURPOSE OF THE DISCUSSIONS CONSOLIDATION OF EMPIRE TRADE (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Oct. 2. The inauguration ceremony of the Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire was held this morning. An address of welcome was given by the GovernorGeneral (Viscount Galway), to which the president of the congress, Viscount Elibank, replied. Addresses were also given by the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) and the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash), and by representatives from different parts of the Empire. In the course of his address, Lord Elibank said he was gratified that Mr Savage and members of Cabinet, Messrs Nash, Lee Martin, Sullivan and Semple, had honoured the congress by their presence. The delegates to the congress would welcome their presence at --y time during the sessions, and any expressions of opinion that they might desire to give on the subjects to be discussed. He also welcomed the Trade Commissioners of Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, who, as honorary delegates, would be entitled to give their views on any subject before the congress. He said the congress would deal with all manner and kind of subjects, but they would all aim at achieving one big end —the promotion and consolidation of trade and commerce and the unity of the British Empire, They might disagree among themselves on the details. but he thought his Excellency would find, when the congress had done its work, that it would have maintained and, he hoped, enhanced the traditions for which it stood. He expressed pleasure that the congress should take place in New Zear land. MESSAGE FROM THE KING In opening the congress, Lord Calway vjlcomed the delegates. He said that, having perused the remits, he realised that some dealt with the most important matters the congress had ever had to consider. He read the following message from the King, who is the patron of the congress:— I send to the fourteenth Congress of the Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire, which meets at Wellington today, my best wishes for a successful congress, and feel sure that your discussions will help to promote the trade and commerce of the Empire. PRIME MINISTERS’ MESSAGES Lord Elibank read messages from the following Prime Ministers:—Mr Baldwin (Britain), Mr Mackenzie King (Canada), Mr Lyons (Australia), General Hertzog (South Africa), the Viceroy of India, and Mr George Huggins, Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia. Mr Baldwin expressed the hope that the congress would be successful in its endeavours to elaborate further means whereby the flow of inter-Imperial trade may be accelerated, and to re-establish prosperity throughout the Empire. . Mr Mackenzie King said the Government of Canada was convinced that prosperity could only be achieved on the basis of free international trade. It was natural that this policy should involve, as an initial step, an expansion of trade between the members of the British Commonwealth in the field of commerce. The efforts of the Government must be supplemented by the enterprise of individuals, and those associations representative of the business elements in the community. In the work of research and education the federation had rendered important service in years gone by, and its opportunities for similar service had never been greater than to-day. He sent the best wishes of the Canadian Government. Mr Lyons’s message expressed good wishes and hope for success in the deliberations, as also did General Hertzog. The Viceroy said it was his earnest hope that the result of the deliberations might tend towards the expansion of world trade and prosperity, in which India and all the units of the British Empire might obtain a due share. Mr Huggins hoped the deliberations would add to the happy relations existing between the dominions and the other component parts of the British Empire. MR SAVAGE’S WELCOME Mr Savage joined Lord Galway in extending a welcome to the visitors “ I feel you can get a long way with this congress,” he said. Resolutions were helpful, and he was not going to suggest that they would not get realities from their deliberations The world was in the melting pot, and if they realised the important place the Empire must play in shaping the future they would get somewhere. The congress would probably find ways and means for expanding trade and industries, but unless they could expand the buying power of the consumers they could not expand anything. How to increase it was one of the problems facing both the Empire and the world. They could talk about finding foreign markets, but in the end all their efforts would come back to the buying power of their own people. No country could send goods abroad without taking something in exchange, and consequently production should be reflected in the income of the rank and file of the country. Unless the benefits of production, science and education could find a way into the homes of the people all (heir efforts for betterment were useless. If the Empire could organise its economy the rest of the worjd would look after itself. Production and distribution had to be organised, and if the people were not helped they were going to have preferential trade in the Empire. There would have to be two sides to it. Unless the British people would invest their surplus capital to lay the foundation of preferential trade they would never get it. While British capital was invested in foreign countries British trade would follow it. He did not want to suggest that they should have all their eggs in one basket, but if British people were to stand or fall together they should conserve their resources. Mr Savage concluded by saying that he spoke, not as Prime Minister, but as a humble citizen of die Empire, as the representative of the Parliament and people of New Zealand, and he extended the hand of good fellowship.