CONTRACTS WITH THE ENEMY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2534, 7 August 1915, Page 12

CONTRACTS WITH THE ENEMY

At the conference. of New Zealand Chambers of Commerce yesterday morning Mr. J. G. Harkness (Wellington) moved:"That the Government be urged to introduce legislation to provide that contracts in respect, of goods, being tho products of enemy countries, or being Now Zealand products to be supplied to enemy countries, that have not been actually shipped and left the country of-the sellers, should be cancelled as from the date of outbreak of war between tho British Empire and any other countrj;" _ I» speaking to the motion, Mr. Harkness said 'many sellers anticipated that, on the conclusion of the war, the goods contracted for would have to be accepted. He contended that the contracts should bo annulled, and legislation should bo brought in to permit of that. The chairman (Mr. J. Macintosh) seconded tha motion, and in doing so oxpressed the conviction that some.of the Germans knew the war was coming when the contracts wero made with British.firms. When the war was over the Germans 110 doubt intended to coine to iho- Australian mine-owners and ask them to continue contracts that had been made with them, but, as a result of recent Australian legislation, the" Imperial Government would have to bo approached! It was desirable" that the matter should bo placed on a similar footing in the Dominion. - Such legislation as Australia' bad on this subject New Zealand should have. • ■ Tlie motion was carried unanimously.