COMMERCE AND DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1542, 11 September 1912, Page 7

COMMERCE AND DEFENCE.

Among (he passengers who arrived iit Wellington by the Athenic from London yesterday was Mr. A. A. Corrigan, who resigned his position as Wellington man-' ager for the D.I.C.' in order to engage.in business on his own account, and subsequently visited England .in connection with his new interests. -Whilst in. London, Sir. Corrigan attended the Imperial Conference of Chambers of Commerce as a New Zealand delegate, and there met commercial men of standing from all parts of the Empire. Discussing with o, representative of The Dominion his impressions of tho conference—its main decisions are now matters of history, of course—Mr. Corrigan remarked that the two most notable topics were the questions of .Imperial .■defence and the taxation levied upon com-, morcial travellers of British mercantilehouses. On the former -question.'■-■there was n.striking unanimity of opinion that (ho whole military and naval strength of tho Empire should be concentrated, not divided—"one fleet and ono army.' Unless this principle were adhered to, the Empire, it was agreed, was doomed to disintegration. There was considerable soreness in the mercantile community at Homo on the subject of the taxation of profits earned i,n oversea business, and a consequent disinclination on the part of tho .great houses in tho Old Country to opori up new ground in this part of the world. "Tho margin is so'small, nowadays," said Mr. Corrigan, "(hat they <l<i not consider it worth while." He added that he was very successful in his bust ness -negotiations, and returns .highlj satisfied with (he -results of his trip.