OUR BUSINESS MEN CHAMPIONED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 942, 8 October 1910, Page 5

OUR BUSINESS MEN CHAMPIONED.

PTTTETR, WORD IS THEIR BOND.'

(By Teleyrapl}.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, October 7. , A discussion which took place in the Wellington Supremo Court recently regarding commercial morality in New Zealand has been the subject of considerable comment locally. Discussing the subject with a "Herald" reporter, Mr. J. H. Gunson, president of the' Auckland Chamber, of Com-merce,-said: f 'l am quite satisfied, so far as New Zealand traders aro ponoepie.d, that their'standard of commercial morality is as high as in any other part of tho world,'and will bear favourable comparison with Australia, from which centre tho charge against the New ' Zealand commercial community emanates. Repeated evidences _ are forthcoming that' New Zealand business houses^• liave secured confidence, .not . only in London commercial circles, but ■ also in other centres. with which New Zealand's connection is by no means small, a',,With the-larger-portion of the commercial community .iri'NeS'.SearandJ 1 their word is their bond, and any 'engagement entered -into , verbally is looked upon as-being as binding as if it were,a written contract.

"In every, community, of course, there may -bo found black sheep, but this is simply another jnstance of, where iho exception proves the rule. In Auckland alone, from practical knowledge, I can state that thousands of pounds' worth "of business every day passes simply by word of mouth, and there is never the slightest occasion for future -referenje. ,- It is ' very seldom that disputes arise in which the commercial integrity of business houses is at stake, and it is only fair that the charge which has been given such publicity should be as publicly refuted,"