COMMERCE CONGRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23340, 4 November 1937, Page 9

COMMERCE CONGRESS

ASSOCIATED CHAMBERS IMPORTANT REMITS ADOPTED GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ATTACKED (Per United Press Association) TIMARU, Nov. 3. The annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce opened in Timaru to-day. The visiting delegates, totalling 40. were greeted with brilliant sunshine on arrival A welcome was extended by the Mayor (Mr P. C. Vinnell) and the president of the local chamber (Mr W M. Sexton). A large number of important remits are to be dealt with by the conference State Marketing Opposed Moving a remit—" That while entirely opposed to Government marketing, this conference considers it essential that there should be no further extension of the system without the assent of a substantial majority of the producers concerned," Mr A. Seaman (Auckland) said that offsetting any benefit from Government control they had the dangers of control by bureaucrats largely untrained in the particular business concerned and subject to political meddling and interference, and the jettisoning of those who, from a lifetime study and experience, were best able to advise and guide. "We were and are opposed to Government marketing of produce, and we are still looking for the benefits from that scheme that might make us wish for an extension to other classes of produce," Mr Seaman said. If, however, those in charge of the affairs of the Dominion were determined, despite the hazards of the dairy produce experiment, to extend the scope of Government marketing activities, a measure of elementary justice was called for. Regimentation was tolerable if not forced, and they considered and urged the Government that in any further move of this character it should seek to ascertain the wishes of the particular body of producers concerned, and should not impose upon them compulsorily adherence to a marketing project unless the scheme had the approval of a substantia] majority of the producers. Remit Amended Mr C. Calvert (Dunedin) opposed the remit, saying that it was far too sweeping, and suggested that the conference was not in favour of such sweeping action. However, he favoured no further extension of the system. Mr R. S. Wright (Christchurch) argued that everyone in the community was equally interested in marketing. Mr J. Richards (Stratford) said he saw a grave danger, in the inefficiency of departmental officers handling primary produce and in handling a huge amount of produce. There would arise great opportunities for corruption. He did not say that there was corruption, but it might arise. There was also the political risk. The president suggested that the, word "while" should be altered to "being," and the resolution finish at the word "system." The Auckland delegate accepted the amendment, and the remit was carried unanimously

Heavy Expenditure "That this conference is of the opinion that the heavy structure of annual expenditure being erected by the Government represents a potential danger in the event of a fall in the Dominion's export income," was the text of a remit moved by Mr C. Hamilton (.Christchurch), who said that taxation this year was greater than last year, and it seemed that the Government was taking more and more from the people, who were Drevented from building any reserves. Mr Newman Wilson (Dunedin): We are a bit old-fashioned in Dunedin, and we believe that one is not able to take more out of the bank than what is put in. The remit was carried unanimously. Public Works Policy The public works policy of the Government was attacked in a remit from Wellington, Mr P. Pattrick asserting that in a time of prosperity it should not be necessary to spend so much on unemployment. The public works policy should be one of prosperity equalisation. The conference agreed that in times of prosperity the State should refrain from works other than those urgently necessary or economically productive, and in times of depression there should be a planned programme, thus levelling the peaks of prosperity and depression Scheme of Immigration A remit, urging a carefully thought-out scheme of immigration and urging the Government to give early attention to this important matter, was moved by Mr A. Ely (Auckland), who quoted statistics drawing attention to the rapidly declining birth rate in the Dominion and said the stage was set for actual retrogression. The country was faced with the problem of satisfying what was admittedly an urgent need —the question of labour on farms was pressing and the call for domestic nelp was urgent. It would seem that the possibilities of settling greatly increased numbers on the land were quite limited, unless the Dominion developed new products for which there were substantial overseas markets, or unless the Dominion developed entirely new markets for-its present products. If the Dominion did not economically develop the hitherto undeveloped natural resources there was a danger of being unable to absorb many new arrivals. The question whether or not there existed potential manufacturing industries was a i matter for careful research. Mr P. Pattrick (Wellington) seconded the resolution and drew attention to salient facts demonstrating the need of increased population. So far as productivity was concerned. New Zealand was underpopulated. A sparsely-populated country must pay an extraordinarily heavy cost per capita for public services. Also, unless it substantially increased its population, the Dominion's claim for continued occu-. ! pancy and control must weaken. Any I well-considered plan of immigration was calculated to reduce, not increase unemployment. The modus operandi should only be decided upon after a careful survey, which the Government, in conjunction with interested bodies, should undertake. The suggestion was made that the I words " thought out" should be I deleted and " planned and financed "

substituted in the remit. The argument was advanced that the future of immigrants must be planned and also financed ahead of their arrival. Mr C Tapley (Invercargill) said that Southland could absorb many more people advantageously, and other parts of the Dominion could do the same Special Committee Suggested Mr W. Mac Gibbon (Christchurch) said that the depressions in 1870, 1880 and 1890 were much worse than the last one, and vet the country absorbed many immigrants, thrived on them, and they found a niche. The Dominion must go further afield than the Home Country, and he suggested a special -ommittee to investigate the problem Mr Pattrick then suggested the following motion:—"That the conference, in Dursuance of the policy adopted bv resolution recommends that the executive should cooperate with the Dominion Settlement Association and associations having kindred objectives for the purpose of representing to the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition the immediate necessity for a non-party, long-range survey of the best methods of promoting desirable immigration, which has become an urgent and vital need." Replying to the debate. Mr Ely said he did not favour the substitution of the words " planned and financed" for " thought out," his contention being that a thought-out scheme was much more important in the first instance. The remit was carried, and Mr Pattrick's motion was held over for consultation with Mr Ely, with a view to the construction of a concrete motion.