CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Timaru Herald, Issue 170299, 19 August 1920, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

MONTHLY MEETING

The monthly meeting of the- South Canterbury 'Chamber of Commerce was neld on Tuesday night. Present— Messrs M. J. Doyle, vice-president (in the chair;, J. P. Newman, H. J. Holdgate, F. K. Giilingham, F. C. May, R. j. Ouddon-Large, F. J'. Rollestoii, J. E. Chiles, T. Thomson, G (Steven, K. A. Forsyth and C. S- Eraser (secretary). An apology for unavoidable absence was received from the president,, Mr ~\V. G. Irwin. Mr Doyle thanked the Chamber for the honour done him in electing him. vice-president of the Chamber, and said iie had not attended as regularly as he would have liked lately, but this was owing to the fact that he had meetings of the Borough Council to attend. HOU&ING PROBLEM.

Mr Doyle went on to refer to the .•o-operative proposal to erect COO dwellings in Wellington and said tie thought it would be a very bad scheme for the dominion. It would concentrate the builders of the dominion in • Wellington when they were wanted else-1 where, and it would also mean thai; 1 an undue share of cement, timber, iron, etc., would have to go to Wellington for these houses when it wits wanted; elsewhere. To build so many house*'• in one centre would make the position'; as a whole worse instead of better. { Probably four _ million . feet of timber would'be used in these houses, nnd this meant that other parts would have to go short. The position in regard to cement was very bad. Recently 4{){) tons had been landed here, and the secretary had telegraphed to the Prime ' Minister asking that it be not all used i on Government work as intended, but | that half of it should be diverted to \ privato uses. The wire had elicited | a courteous reply, but nothing more, f The Chamber should express their f opinion in regard to the housing prob- | iom in Wellington, and the buildingh trade in South Canterbury. About quo I hundred tons of cement had just been I landed here, but considering that the ji.str.ict had been starved for the past ;six months this was only a drop in the bucket. He suggested that they ? should ask for a Government return j,- ; showing the quantity of cement allottedj lo the Auckland district !

It was'-agreeC that this be clone, ami on the motion or Messrs Newjiiaji ami iloldgate it was also decided that cue il.lVs for the district be written to drawing their attention to the serious position in South Canterbury owing Uv the lack of an adequate supply of cement, and asking them if something could not be done. The chairman explained in some detail the injustice of the proposal to erect so many dwellings in Wellington and said he thought the Chambor should protest against the Government assisting such a scheme. Mr Rollestoii said he took it that il the Government subsidised such a scheme in AVellington they would have to act similarly in any other part of the dominion.

Mr Forsyth expressed a similar view The chairman suggested that they should write to the member for Timaru asking him to inquire whether the Government would do in other parts wlnt it was stated they had offered to do in Wellington, namely, finance the building of the 500 houses and pay a commission to those interested in the project. It was decided that this be done, and that no further action be taken till -i reply is received.

LABOUR PROBLEMS. The Taumarunui Chamber wrote suggesting that a conference of delegates should be convened from labour, agricultural, commercial, educational and professional associations and unions in tho dominion to determine the best means of ending the present industrial end social unrest, and promoting the welfare of the whole dominion, the suggested principal lines of action to be as Follows .-7(1) Increased production on co-operative lines. (2) Fairer division of profits. (3) Recognition of merit and ability in preference to aristocracy, wealth and inherited position. Mr Gillingham said it seemed to be a question of grab on both sides, and he supposed it always would be so longas human nature remained as at present.

Mr Rolleston said the arbitration sys- '• tern had proved a failure and he thought the time was not far distant J when both the employers and employ- \ pes would gladly attend its funeral, if j' the suggested conference did no good it j could no no harm.

Mr Steven said that the South Canterbury Farmers' Union had decided unanimously in favour, of a conference.

The chairman said that he did not agree that conciliation was useless. He had attended a sitting of the Conciliation Council that afternoon, nnd though the did not at first seem likely to agree they had ultimately agreed on nineteen out of twenty points discussed.

It was decided on the motion of Messrs llolleston and Gilfingham that the Chamber approves of the suggested conference. COMPULSORY LOANS. The Canterbury Chamber of Commerce asked the South Canterbury Chamber's support to the following motion:—"That this Chamber strongly prote&L against the principle of compulsory loans for other than urgent war necessities, and considers the proposed action of the Government a dangerous precedent and contrary to all principles of British .freedom and liberty." The chairman said he thought they i should support this resolution. It was all right in war time to adopt compulsory loans, but he did not think itwould be a fair principle to apply in" peace times. It might lead to the nationalisation of everything, and that was not in the best interests of the people as a whole. To take from a man part of his money and give him a lower rate of interest for it than he could get on the open market really amounted to confiscation. It would seriously embarrass many people if they were compelled to go to the banks and borrow money to lend' to the Government at a lesser rate than they had to pay for it. Mr Rolleston said that they were now in the difficult period of recon- j struction. One class had had a lot to ' put up with during the war, and it | seemed to him that another class should be willing to put up with something now- There were two sides ! to the question, and they had to con-1 sider the finances of the Dominion. If the Government had no power to get money by compulsion the interest rate would soar and the Government would have to impose increased taxation. The chairman said it would be better to do that than to adopt the principle of forced loans.

On the motion of Messrs Forsyth and Cuddou-Larga it was decided to support the Canterbury _ Chamber's resolution protesting against the proposed compulsory loans. Mr Rolleston voted against tho motion.

FAIRLT.E TRAIN SERVICE.

The matter of reinstating the prewar train service between Timaru and Fairlie was brought up by Ivfessra Steven and Gillingham, and it was decided to write to the local bodies interested, ascertain their " views, and make representations to the Government accordingly. NATURALISATION. The Canterbury Chamber wrote suggesting that instead of imprisonment

for a definite term of three months, and a line of £IOO, as provided in the Revocation, of Naturalisation Bill, the clause be altered to read: "Imprisonment for not exceeding twelve months, or to a fine not exceeding £500. " It was decided to take no action in the matter.

SHIPPING SERVICE. Mr Forsyth brought up the matter of getting a resumption of the direct shipping service to Timaru. It was a very important matter, lie said, ' and moved that the Chamber urge the shipping authorities in London to give a direct bi-monthly service between London and Tiinaru. Invercargill had taken the matter up, and Timaru should not be behind.

The suggestion was considered a very good one, and the chairman suggested that it should be 'referred 1o tho] Transport Committee for inquiry and report. , j This was agreed to, 3ir Forsyth con-| curring. TELEPHONE LISTS. ! , The chairman brought under notice the fact that the names of telephonesubscribers in South Canterbury were issued in sheet form, but that he had been informed that if South Canterbury joined up with North Otago the Telegraph Department was prepared to issue in book form a list of exchange subscribers in both districts. The names of subscribers in book form would be much handier than on sheets and would serve as a good directory for both Oamaru r.nd Timaru. All the Timaru names would be in one part of the book and all the Oamaru names in I the other part of it. Also in book i form there would be added a numerical i subscribers' list, so that when requiri ed you could find immediately the name of the subscriber when his number only was given. The dual list would be very handy for Waimate and the mid-Tim-aru-Oamaru district. The secretary to the Postal Department had told him that they would not issue two separate books—one for Oamara and one for Timaru.

It was decided to write to the North Otago Chamber asking for their cooperation in the matter.

COMMITTEES. *

Committees were elected for the year as follows:

Grain Committee—Messrs <T. P. Newman, T. Buxton, It. H. Forsyth, and H. J. Holdgate. Transport Committee—Messrs M. J. Doyle, F. C. May and F. J. Bolleston. Emergency Committee—Messrs J. J*. Newman and Cuddon-Large; * The President is a member of all committees.