CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25456, 10 February 1944, Page 2

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

meeting of executive A meeting of the executive of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce was he it d wa? e decfded to advise the Associated Chambers that the Dunedin Chamber was of the opinion that the matter of the establishment of uneconomic industries should be placed in the hands of an independent tariff committee or board of ,. busine ®f m^ ie ”f which should decide the amount of protection as regards Customs tann and import control which should be given to a particular industry. It was advised that Mr Nixon Westwood, of New Caledonia, would address members of the council of the chamber on. hydro-electric m a«ers. Members of other bodies are to be invited to this meeting. A further report from Mr Leigh Hunt, Wellington, on the Manapouri hydro-electric scheme has been received by the chamber and will be discussed ut the next council meeting. The executive expressed gratification at the re-establishment of the Junior Chamber, and it was decided to accept the invitation of the Wellington Chamber to send two delegates and the secretary to the conference of Junior Chambers of the Dominion, to be held in Wellington in March, for which billeting is being arranged by the Wellington Junior Chamber It was reported that the . chamber would be represented at a visit to Waipori on Sunday to examine the improvements and constructional work being carried out. . Figures regarding coal production for the three years ended in December, 1942 were received from the Mines Department. Steps are being taken to get further information, and the Government is to be again urged to profit from the lesson of present shortages bv seeing that adequate reserve stocks are speedily obtained and fairly and evenly distributed over both islands. It was reported that definite action was to be taken by the executive of the Associated Chambers to have the num~ erous anomalies in the system of assessing income tax removed These were brought to the notice of the Prime Minister and the Minister-in-charge of Income Tax on February 4 by a strong deputatiori from the Associated Chambers. The Ministers promised to give immediate consideration to the requests put forward. _ ~ It was stated that questions affecting the liability of shipowners as regards coastal shipping had been considered bv the Vigilance and Bills Committee of the chamber and advice would be circularised to members on this matter. Arrangements are to be made for speakers to address meetings of members of the chamber at intervals during the winter months. Matters in connection with the erection of State houses and labour for the erection of Government homes are being considered. . „ A letter was received from the Otago Acclimatisation Society giving full support to the recommendations made at the recent conference of South Island Chambers of Commerce.