CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1930, Page 11

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

MEETING of: CENTRAL BODY. 'COMMERCIAL MATTERS DISCUSSED. By T*l«sr»ph.—-Pres* Association. The Hermitage, Mt. Cook, Oct. 22. Mr. K. A. Williams, for the Marton Chamber, at the annual meeting of the Associated Chambers of Commerce today, submitted the following remit with regard to the Chattels Transfer Act: That owing to the preference given to certain traders under section 57 of the Chattels Transfer Act (1924), representations be made to the Government to amend its compulsory clauses and that all hire purchase agreements be registered.

Mr. Williams his chamber urged compulsory registration and not the abolition of the system. This was done to overcome the difficulty of a notorious custom or usuage associated with the system. The Marton Chamber was of the opinion that one of the causes of the present financial depression was the extensive and increasing use o>f the hire purchase system. Mr. Bavin, Premier of New South Wales proposed to place a moratorium on all hire purchase agreements, because he considered they were contributing factors to the financial stringency in hia State. Mr. Tolley, Feilding seconded.

A similar remit from Palmerston North was withdrawn in favour of the Marton remit. A remit from Masterton “that for every njotpr-car sold on ; the time-pay-ment plan an instrument should be registered,” was allowed to go forward. Messrs. A. F. Wright (Christchurch), and F. W. Horner (Hawera) urged the conference not to pass the remit lightly, as the remedy suggested in the remit would hardly be an effective cure of the evil. _ , ' ,■■ ,

The Marton remit was ..negatived by a large majority and the Masterton remit carried by 19 votes to 17. Mr. A. H. Allen (Dunedin) moved that in the event of a chattel; the subject of a hire purchase agreement, within two calendar months of the bailee being adjudged bankrupt, or of the assigning of his estate for the ’ benefit of his creditors, the official assignee, or trustee for the' benefit of creditors, as the case may be, shall have the right (to -be exercised within one calendar month after such adjudgment or assignment) to acquire such chattel from the owner upon payment of the balance then remaining unpaid in respect of such chattel. Mr. P. B. Foote (South Canterbury) seconded the remit, which was adopted. Mr. A. G. Seed (Wellington) moved: ‘‘That this conference, while appreciating the extension by New Zealand banks in recent years of metropolitan free exchange areas, is of opinion that the areas should be stjll further extended.”

Mr, D.'J. McGowan (Wellington) seconded and the remit was adopted. Mr. Norton Francis (Christchurch) moved that the executive be authorised to call a conference, if considered desirable, representative of labour, farming, commercial, industrial, financial and economic interests for the purpose of freely discussing the present economic position and with the object of endeavouring to promote the prosperity of the Dominion by suggesting a scheme whereby the cost of government and taxation and the costs of production might be reduced without lowering the workers’ standard of living.

Mr. J. C. Begg (Dunedin) suggested that the words ‘/'without lowering the

workers’ standard of living” be deleted and the following substituted: “With the least possible prejudice to the workers’ standard of living.” The alteration was agreed to and the remit was carried. Other important remits carried weto. From the Canterbury chamber: “That this conference is of the opinion, that there has been a tendency for legislation to be presented in Parliament in tho. dying hours of the session without opportunity being given to the public to consider or make representations in regard thereto.” ■ Te Awamutu.—“That the time has arrived when the Government should curtail the setting up of commissions.”