TRADE OF EMPIRE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19136, 3 October 1936, Page 15

TRADE OF EMPIRE

CONGRESS OPENS MESSAGE FROM THE KING VICEREGAL WELCOME WORLD PROBLEMS FACED COM MOM AIMS URGED

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day. The inauguration ceremony of the congress of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire, was held this morning. The address of welcome was given by the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, to which tlio president of tlio congress, Viscount Elibank, replied. Addresses were also- given by the Prime Minister, tlio R-L lion. M. J. Savage, and the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, and by representatives from different parts of tlio Empire. Lord Galway welcomed the delegates and said that having perused tile remits, lie 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 i.s the patron of the congress: “1 send to the fourteenth congress of tlio Chambers of Commerce, of the British Empire, which meets in Wellington to-day, my best wishes for a. successful congress, and feel sure that- your discussions will Help promote the trade and commerce of the. Empire.” Mr. Savage joined Lord Galway in extending a. .welcome to the visitors. “I feel that you can get a. long way with this congress,” he said. The resolutions were, helpful and! he was not going to suggest that they would not get to realities from their deliberations. The world was in the melting pot, and ii they realised the 'important place the Empire must, play in slfaping t he future, they would get somewhere. The congress probably would find ways and means of expanding trade and industries, but unless they could 1 expand the buying power of the consumers, they could not expand anything.. llow 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. NEED FOR ORGANISATION

No country could send goods abroad without taking something in exchange, and consequently production should fie 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 efforts for betterment wove useless. If the Empire could organise its economy the rest of the world would look after itself. Production and distribution bad to he organised, and if the people were- not helped to consume what they needed, increased production would never be a success-.

He said thyt. if they wore going to have preferential trade ill the Empire, there would have to be two sides to it. Unless the British people would invest their.surplus capital to lay tlio 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 the British people were to stand or fall together, they should conserve their resources.

He concluded by saying that he spoke, not as the Prime Minister of New Zealand but as a humble citizen of the Empire. As a representative of the Parliament and people of New Zealand, he extended the hand of good fellowship. HONORARY DELEGATES In the course of his address, Lord F.libank said he was gratified that Mr. Savago and other members of tlio Cabinet, Mr. Nash, the lion. W. Leo Martin, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, and the Hon. E. Semple, had honoured the congress by their presence and becoming honorary delegates. The congress would welcome their presence at. any 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. Ho said the congress dealt with all manner and kind of subjects, but they nil aimed at achieving one big end, the promotion and consolidation of the trade and commerce and the unity of the. British Empire. They might disagree among themselves on details, but lie thought His Excellency would find that when the congress had done its work, it would have maintained, and he hoped enhanced, the traditions for which if stood. He expressed pleasure that the congress should take place in New Zealand.

Lord Elibank read messages from the Prime. Ministers of Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and South Africa, the Viceroy of India, and the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia. HOPES FOR PROSPERITY The message from Mr. Stanley Baldwin expressed the hope that the congress would be successful in its endeavours to elaborate further means whereby Ihe flow of inter-imperial trade might he accelerated and to re-establish prosperity throughout the Empire. The Canadian Prime Minister, Mr. W. L. Mackenzie King, said the Government of Canada was convinced that prosperity could only be achieved on a basis of free international trade. It was natural that this policy should involve, as an initial step, an expansion of trade between members of the British commonwealth in the field of commerce. The efforts of tlio Governments must he 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 an important service in years gone by. Its opportunities for similar service had never been greater than to-day. He sent the best wishes of the Canadian Government.

The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. J. A. Lyons, in his message expressed good wishes and hope for success in the deliberations of the congress, as also did the message from the Prime Minister of South Africa, General J. P». Ifertzog.

The Viceroy of India, Lord Linlithgow, said ip was his earnest hope (hat. the result of the. deliberations might tend towards ail expansion of world trade and prosperity, in which India and all units of the British Empire might obtain a due share. The Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia, Mr. 0. M. Huggins, hoped that the deliberations of tlio congress would add to the happy relations existing between the Dominions and other component parts of the British Empire