COMMERCE CONGRESS

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 148, 20 June 1934, Page 3

COMMERCE CONGRESS

IN NEW ZEALAND A BIG EVENT AHEAD The cabled advice from London lecently of the deliberations of the annual conference of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire confirms the arrangement made for the 1936 congress of the Federation to be held in New Zealand.

The 1933 congress (which litter is held every three years) was io have taken place in New Zealand, but owing to the World Economi J Conference meeting in London in that year, the Federation made an arrangement with the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand for the congress to take place in London, giving New Zealand ■ ir." 1936 congress instead. This has now been confirmed by cable. • , The Federation has held congresses in every British Dominion but New Zealand. In 1930 the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand decided to invite the Federation to come to New Zealand,, and that invitation was readily accepted. The congress is an event of great commerical importance in the Empire, it being the only occasion on which commercial men from all the Dominions and Colonies of the British Empire meet as an organisation.

On several occasions the congress has been under the patronage of His Majesty the King, while those who have been associated with it include the late Mr Joseph Chamberlain (the first supporter of Imperial preference), the late Lord Strathcona, and, in more recent years, the Earl of Athlone and the Earl of Derby. The president of the Federatioin is Sir Arthur Shirley Benn, Bt., K.8.E., M.P., while there is a body of men prominent in commerce and industry as vice-presidents and executive. It is too early yet to be able to state the number of delegates that will be coming to New Zealand from the different parts of the Empire; over 200 delegates attended the congress in London last year. The congress will be held in Wellington.