CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

Southland Times, Issue 24576, 27 October 1941, Page 8

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

CONFERENCE REMITS The remits that are to be submitted to the conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, to be held at Invercargill' on November 6 and 7, include the following:— INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY ACT “That this conference is of opinion that the Industrial Efficiency Act, 1936, should be amended to provide for (1) adequate and not minority representation of industry on the bureau and on any industrial committee operating under the Act, and (2) any industry or member thereof to have the right of appeal to an independent tribunal being Gazetted as a licensed industry or against any decision of the bureau.” —Wellington. STATE SUBSIDIES “That this conference draws attention to the continued increase in taxation caused by a policy of subsidising commodities in order to keep down the cost to the consumer; it considers that the position thus created is a false one, and that it is better to let prices find their own level than to hoodwink the public by imposing extra taxation to prevent an increase in prices. It considers further that the taxation is costly to collect, and that it results in an increase in living costs.”—Hamilton. POST-WAR REHABILITATION “That this conference requests the Government to appoint an expert commission to consider and report on postwar rehabilitation.”—Dunedin. STATE CONTROL “That this conference expresses its grave concern at the extent to which industry and commerce are being progressively fettered by State regulations and control. It strongly urges upon the Government the need for greater freedom of internal trade as an essential supporting factor for both a maximum contribution to the Empire’s war effort and a means of ensuring the highest degree of efficiency in industry and commerce, to the benefit of the Dominion as a whole.”—Auckland. IMPORT CONTROL “Viewing with concern the large discretionary powers centred in the hands of a very limited number of Government officials concerned with the granting of licences to import goods, and the difficulty of preserving full justice as between individuals and firms applying for licences, this conference is of opinion that, if import selection is to continue by the licensing method, an advisory board of control consisting of importers, manufacturers and Government representatives should be set up, the decisions of which board and the grounds therefore would be made available to interested parties.”—Auckland and Dunedin. “That this conference is concerned at the large increase in ‘control’ items appearing in the cun-ent import licensing schedule, and considers that it causes unnecessary delay at a time when it is of vital importance to get orders placed overseas as early as possible. It also considers that it is not in the best in- i terests of the business community that | the basis for the issuing of licences for so many important commodities should not be published.”—Hamilton. GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE “That this conference urges on the Government the paramount necessity for genuine economy in its ordinary expenditure, particularly in view of the present heavy war expenditure; it would point out that for ordinary ex- ! penditure, taxes and loans were raised I amounting to £25.2 million in 1928-29, and to £27.5 million in 1935-36, while £57.3 million is’ the estimate of taxes and loans required for this ordinary expenditure in 1941-42, when £7l million in addition is required ■ for war. I This conference views the present lavish expenditure on public and develop- | mental works, social services, and social security with the greatest concern; it considers that ordinary expenditure on the present scale is indefensible and definitely harmful, both to the Dominion’s economy and to its war effort, and urges the Government to reconsider and drastically revise its 1941 Budget proposals.”—Canterbury,

PETROL PRICES “That the Government be asked to standardize the price of petrol throughout New Zealand.”—Wairoa. PUBLIC ACCOUNTS “This conference draws the attention of the Government to the desirability and necessity of presenting to Parliament its Budget proposals and particulars of the public accounts at a much earlier date than has been done in the past, and as is done by his Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom.”— Dunedin. EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE “This conference (a) draws the attention of the Government to the harmful effects of the employment of young people of under 15 years, and suggests, as a possible corrective, that the schoolleaving age be fixed at 15 years, and that the compulsory continuance with post-primary education until such age is reached should receive the Government’s attention; (b) considers that existing rates of wages for juniors are generally too high in relation to adult rates; in view of the educational, vocational guidance, and magisterial authorities at present operative, it is of opinion that this general unbalanced wage policy tends to be detrimental to the welfare of the community as a whole; (c) being convinced of the difficulty of young people who have continued with their education until the age of 17 or over in securing (under normal circumstances) employment in competitition with younger people, this conference recommends to the Government that awards should be drawn up to provide a scale for each age, younger persons reaching the basic wage by more gradual steps and older persons by quicker steps, but all beginning at approximately the same wage.”