TRADE OF THE FUTURE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2470, 25 May 1915, Page 8

TRADE OF THE FUTURE

; WAR ON : ENEMIES ADDRESS BY MR A. A; SENNETT ; THE:BOARD OF TRADE At'the meeting of tho Central Chamber of Commerce held yesterday Mr. A. K. Sennlett, organiser of tho projected Board of Tirade and Industries, was present by '-invitation, for the purpose of explaining .the Board's objects and proposed constitution. There was before tho Chamber tho fol- • loving resolution, aud Mr. Sennett sought .to establish a connection between it aud '!the work of a Board of Trade:—"That ihis meeting of tho Wellington Central IChamber ot Commerce strongly approves of tho setting up of a Board of Trade and for New Zealand, and pledges its support to the movement, believing:— (a) That it will afford tho best means of cau'rying into effect the wishes of the '.various associations and of the populace who (lesiro that proper steps be taken to prevent trading with our enemies after .tbo war. (b) That it will bo in tho best ■'interests of commerce and manufactures, (c) That it will prove highly beneficial itQ Empire trade, (d) That it is essential", tci the trading- and manufacturing .prosperity of the Dominion." t Mr. Sennett said that the present war Was commenced for dominion and business. "Germany," he added, "hates us a. vindictive and carefully-nurtured Khatral. ' What is the real root of this 'hatred? Trade! Since tho war begaai Germany's hate has been fanned into whito' and desperate heat by the knowledge that our intervention (our .Navy) iihas robbed her—temporarily, at all events 'f-of world-wide trade domination. ■ Another War to Wage. "There is another war still to bo ilvaged:'one which cannot bo entered upon by our soldiers and sailors. I refer to trade war. In this our combatants mnst "be yourselves, our men of commerce and industries. Trade war, indeed, as opposed ■to fair and square trade competition, has Jong since been declared against us. For 'ithe Germans havo been as devious, as unscrupulous, as dishonourable, as sly and as vindictive in their trading as in their . Military methods. They have sheltered themselves behind impenetrable fortifications of fiscal impositions, they havo itanen unfair advantage of British patent Oaw to carry on an industrial blockade; they have stooped to tho lowest depths of -'degradation, deccit and trickery in supplying their overseas customers with their town, oft-times "shoddy" goods, guiranteed to be oti British manufacture, and in a' hundred ways have shown that tho jidea of. integrity and rectitude in business iare as far removed from their code of ''pthics and honour in industrial and com- . ,-incrcial competition • as is their observ- ■ iinco of the , laws of belligerents and of pireaty obligations in war. With tho German and Austrian, dishonest sliinness is • synonymous with upright "acumen" in -business. A cablegram appearing in tho tPiress states that the official organ of tho. Go rman Minister of the Interior explains jthat the object of Germany was to deliver a death-stroko to British trade. But (that is what sho has been seeking .to do 'ifor a. long time, and by the methods to •jwliicfi I have just referred. Chambers of 'pomineixe shonld have been well aware of all this. Nevertheless, I have not heard of any concerted action being taken •Jby the chambers throughout itho Dominion by "way of counter-attack. The time 'lor concerted action has arrived. Spas.inodie efforts will bo valueless-in the absence of a central and authoritative body ■of leaders of trade and industries- in .j'direat'touph with the Government of the dayi {Wave of' Patriotism and Indignation. "Preparation for such trade war is the -tiisis. of the resolution you havo before you. I wish to ask von: What preparations Ji»ive been made, what machinery provided, firstly for tho . serious and deliberate discussion of plans and methods, and secondly for carrying into effect the insolations of the numerous meetings and 'tho wishes and desires of the people in regard to trade after tfie -war?'- I feel that, -unless a powerful >nd/ pehnanent body or board composed*of leadiog men ot' business, representative''.of." both comLierce and manufactures, bo sot'up, tho efforts of the movements 'and of tho vari- . oas associations aiid leagues will be almost wholly wasted. There: is, at the present moment, passing through' our Dominion, • and over tho whole area'of' our Empire, .two great waves—a wave of patriotism ' and a wave of indignation; but it is in , th'o nature of waves to subside. It is wise J to take advantage of the great impetus of these waves of patriotism and ludignaH,tion and go forward on their crests, but, 'I submit, it will also be wise—and, indeed, absolutely necessary—to provide a "(power to keep these waves in motion and •Ho utilise their great moiiienitum, if,..wo ore to derive from them any permanent I national or Empire benefit. 1 therefore ' wish you to associate with your resolution in your 'minds.'the great power foi-l-Dominion ' and Empiro trade expansion .which would be possessed by a Board of 'fCrado and Industries ill iVew Zealand 'formed on absolutely non-political lines, elected and' controlled by the producers, ; inerc-hants,-and manufacturers of the Dov minion." - i Board of Trade's Objects. /'The objects of.the Board are:—l, The ■work of the Board shall be primarily directed to increase the prosperity of tho Dotiiiuion. 2. To promote the growth and development of pastoral, farming, dairying, horticultural, and agricultural industries. 8. To stimulate aud encourage commerce, trade, and industries already established, and to create new trades, occupations, and employment. 4. To establish more friendly relations between.merchants, traders, manufacturers, and every section of producers in the Domin'ion. 5. To establish direct relations with ithe Government of the day, so that tho Ybest interests of all forms of enterpriso and employment shall bo carefully safeguarded, and the best aud most economical methods provided for growth aud expansion. 6. To secure Government .recognition and financial support, and to collaborate with tho Government, of the day as an Advisory Board in obtaining legislation -concerning trado and industries. 7. To establish and maintain .bureaux of information which shall collect and distribute statistics relating to. i British, foreign, and home markets, latest \market rates, and prices ruling in vari- ' ous parts of the world, for all items of ''.value to the producers, -manufacturers, 'and merchants in the Dominion. 8. To ''protect merchants and manufacturers who ' desire conscientiously to refuse to trade, ! directly or indirectly, with encmy_ coun- . tries, and to assist them, in carrying on trade within the Empire. 9. To protect JJominion merchants and manufacturers ■by detecting and exposing abuse of trade marks, falsification as to nationality and manufacturing towns, places of origin of morchandise, etc., etc. 10. To prevent IoSM of trade through the illicit manufacture* and sale of lorcign goods stamped with falsified British names and trade distinctions. 31. To take snch_ steps as may lie open to suppress dumping. 12. To induce and arrange with Home manufacturers and merchants to supply goods •epecially suited to colonial markets. 13. .To bring about co-operative effort between 'different dominion manufacturers so that .manufactures may be undertaken conjointly, which would bo impossible individually, and whereby otherwise waste ,/products'mav be turned to profitable ac'tCOUllt, 11-- To obtain for Dominion manufacturers the best expert advice in regard . to the opening up of new industries and the plant and machinery necessary for tho 'same, and for Dominion merchants in•'formation as to the best and cheapest sources of supplv of raw material and 6ther goods required for industries. 15. To watch the interests of Dominion merchants and manufacturers by studying tho ir.cidcnco of fiscal duty as affecting them, recording anomalies, bringing tho same before the Government, and pressing for ' ' their amendment. 18. To act as the connecting link'between the Dominion and the British Board of Trade-espceially its Department of Commercial In elligencoal=o tho Imperial Institute and the Colonial Institute, and other Empire Departments 17. To act in conjunction with —aud osa technical adjunct lo—the Chambers of Commerce throughout the Dominion. is. To seek to establish a 'Dominion of Now Zealand' trademark. 1!) To seek lo establish an Lraplro trade mark, A To keep, the DpgffiSJgS.

her activities, resources, and products always before the eyes of the world, aud especially of Great Britain and all her colonies. The Board shall be, in the fullest sense of the term, non-political.

"I would remind you tnat tho war bas | already done good work, for our Umpire, | and 1 think it will -do more in bringing about coalescence 'of''parties having conflicting opinions and interests. In many important instances 'it has broken down malevolent opposition' and set up in its place unity of purpose and potently hopeful co-operation, jtay I here enter a piea for similar coalescence and coininixaicion of interests in regard to our trade and industries, so that iill parties (merchants, manufacturers, and workers) may reap the inestimable benefits of united action and freedom from wasteful strife. Especially do i refer to the relationship of itlie chambers of commerce and the industrial associations, I have' now had the advan. tage of addressing six chambers of com merce and three industrial associations in the North and South Islands, and I perceive the detrimental elt'ccts o£ petty jealousies. This should not be in regard to institutions having identity of object. Still more detrimental to our trade aud industries is the feeling, occasionally noticeable, between ccrtaip chambers of ccmmerco and industrial associations due to suck chambers taking tho sweeping viewvtkat tho associations may have a general policy of heavy import duties. This is not the case. Moreover, it must bo borne in mind that the functions of tho Board will be investigatory and advisory only. When, however, the proposed constitution is explained,- and it is seen that all problems, all points of policy, difficulty, and debate will be thoroughly investigated and carefully weighed, discussed, and decided each upon its individual merits, moreover, that the Board pe:- se will neither have nor hold any preconceived policy whaitew save that of benefiting alike the commerce aud in. dustries of Now Zealand, then, I say, all feeling of mistrust at once fades. Cast Out Petty Jealousies. "I repeat, this is no time to allow pelitj jealousies to weigh in a great- national need. Wo must have—and I now sec we shall.'hare—unity of both purpose and effort-. New Zealand must he reminded that she is neglecting ithe vital principle —the observance of which has made the Mother Country and other nations groat, pi< sperous, and self-supporting. That principle is 'to put as much labour aa possiblo in to all primary products before panting with them.' And I would hero remind you that 'no nation has becomo wealthy and self-supporting out of primary products alone/ That great statesman do Witte appreciated this and set to work to transform H-ussia into a manufacturing country with splendid results. Tho present Russian Finance Minister had been the first (moniths ago) to advoeato what New Zealand was advocating to-day —prohib ; tion of trading with, her enemy after the war. 'Shall «,' said he, 'put Germany again in a position to invado us bv giving her our trade?' A poweriul board of commixed men of business, merchants and manufacturers, would (it is admitted on all sides) be of immense ass:stnnce to the Government of the day, would possess great intrinsic weight, and would, moreover, act as a<i efficient discriminating, and, when advisable, restraining influence in regard to such fiscal impositions as might be suggested in support of unsuitable local industries. I again urge my plea, for coalcsconco, for mergence of interests. Let our merchants and manufacturers—our wagers of trade war—emulalto the example of our Empiro warriors and riso in one body, not alone, to concert plans to combat trade with our enemies and to expand our local industries and to extend our Bmp'ro trade; but also to exercise their commercial aud manufacturing knowledge and bring the force of their united cxperienco and abilities to tliß aid of the Government in devising (legislative and otherwise) whereby tin trade war we are about to enter upon in eanu&b shall bo successfully conducted." (Applause.) The resolution vas earned, and Air. Seunefct was thanked for his address.