DOMINION COMMERCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2937, 24 November 1916, Page 7

DOMINION COMMERCE

CONFERENCE ENDS BIG LIST OF BUSINESS OFFICERS ELECTED , , The annual conference of New Zealand Chambers of Commerce was concluded in 1 Wellington yesterday. Mr. James Macin- ' tosh, president of tho Wellington Chamber, presided. Flat Freight Rates. Mr. Walter Gow (Dunedin) moved:— "That the Government be strongly urged to. recognise the necessity for a 'flat rate' of freight—inwards and outwards—between all the ports of New Zealand and , San Francisco and Vancouver, and to •mate provision for this in all future con;,tracts with shipping companies for the carriage of mails." This was seconded by Mr. ,T. G. Harkness (Wellington). Mr. W. J. Penn (New Plymouth) supported the motion, and thanked the Wellington representative for having the motion amended to apply to "all the ports" instead cf to "all the main porfe." Mr. George Fenwick (Dunedin) said that the South Island suffered great disabilities through lack of a flat rate. The motion was carried unanimously. Bills of Lading. Mr. A. Leigh Hunt (Wellington Central) moved:—"That the executive be instructed to/take steps to give effect to the resolutions passed at last year's confer* once: '(1) By further representations to the New Zealand Government; (2) by submission to the next Imperial Conference of British Chambers of Commerce.' " Mr. C. M. Luke (Wellington Central) seconded the motion, which was carried. .A Shipping Companies' Practice. Mr. W. Gow (Dunedin) moved:—"(a) That the conference strongly protest against tho practice which' inter-colonial and coastal shipping companies have adopted, without any apparently sufficient reason, of stamping across the face of bills of lading or shipping notes such clauses ns 'packages insufficient/ 'packages slight,' "nook-holed/ 'repacked,' etc, even when there is no evidence whatever that such is warranted, and having tie effect of defeating legitimate claims ■ .. which may arise in consequence of careless ..handling. Any objection which a shipping company is entitled to take as to condition of cargo should be taken at the time when cargo ig presented for shipment, and in such a manner as to give shippers an opportunity to protect themselves, and certainly onco that an interim clean receint has been given at the shin's side the company should not be entitled to staran final documents with' such clauses, (b) That Hie executive he requested to make representations to shipping companies, calling for' a cessation of ■ the practice, and in the event of such proving unsuccessful, that they take steps to secure legislation providing for fair bills of- lading or shipping notes." Mr. G. J. Anderson, M.P. (Gore), seconded. Mr. T. F. Gibson (Christchurcli) said he would support the motion, but that it was only fair to the shipping companies to say that tho Railway Department forced the position on! the shipping companies. > Mr. F. W. Manton (Wellington) said that, the practice was carried on between port and port, where the railways did not come ini at all. Tho motion was carried withont a sentient.Telephone Lists. On the motion of Mr. 'W. Dobson TDannevirke) tho conference resolved:—"That the Postmaster-GeneTal_ bo urged to revert to the. system of issuing periodical addenda cards, giving additions, to and , deletions. from current telephone exchange* lists." ■ : The following Marlborough remit also was carried:—"That ,Jhis Association of Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand urge upon the Postmaster-General tho necessity of reverting to the old 6yStem . of issuing names of new telephone subscribers monthly, as tho present system of issuing a' supply of advice cards to new subscribers has proved decidedly unsatisfactory:" Postal and Telegraphic. ■ The following remits wero carried:— From Marlborough: "That this conference urge upon the Post and Telegraph Department the necessity of enlarging and improving tho telephone system of the Dominion, especially in connection' with communications between the principal towns of tho Dominion, and that a.' telephone cable be . put down across Cook Strait, so that daily telephone communications at all hours may be possible between tho North and South Islands." From Canterbury: "Improved telegraphic communication between the North and South Islands." Foreign Shipping. •wV-ri- p- Harl!aess (Wellington) moved: that this conference is of opinion that legislation should ]>e enacted within the Dominion to give preference to -British shipping by permitting Harbour Hoard Authorities to give a lower scalo ol tonnage, dock and wharf dues and r» r , t charges to British-owned ships." Air. Harkness said that foreign shipping now enjoyed the same privileges as British ships, and Harbour Boards could not differentia e against foreign shipping, ■lhis was hardly consistent with our pre-sent-day ideas. Moreover, some foreign shipping was subsidised with State should have power to differentiate if they thought lit to do so. f\l am l nd *l enl; £ v Mr - Richmond Fell (NoUon) to the effect that there should vx* T« rm - Ch , ar!;e ™ th compulsory differentiation in favour of British S was preferred to the motion, but ™ s defeated as a substantive motion moved- m,t CTlbS °\ ( Ch »*tchurch) moved -That no cargo to or from New Zealand be allowed to be carried in %Z sels owned or partly owned by enemv subjects, andthat.no such vessel be S ™ r j°!', P ro ™i°ned in any New Zealand" The motion was withdrawn after a brief discussion, and it was agreed that the subject should be considered during conferS " nd bro " Rht at D «* Commercial Defence Fund. Mr. A. Loigh Hunt (Wellington Central) moved: "That this. conference recommends to all Chambers throughout the Dominion the adoption of a Commercial Defence Fund similar to that established by the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce, and the details of jhich are to be sent to each ChaT The motion ivas carried. Commercial Trusts Act. P D J the ,.r m ,° t i°V f Mr - Hnnt was resolved: ' that the following resolution, passed by last year's conference, be reaffirmed, and its adoption urged upon the Government: 'That tho Commercial Trusts Act, 1910, should be amended so as to make its provisions apply to Shipping Companies.'" Roads and Railways. . Tho conference considered the following remits:— 'Al r °S,i Wangan l li ~ Efl Looal Railways Act, 1914 Amendments: "That the Act be amended so as to give local bodies the right to expend funds in promoting petitions and other necessary preliminary work in connection With tho erecr„V ra 'lway district under the am. tho motion was lost. JHZS ,^ Volli ngton Central.-"That repiesentations be again made to tho Govthe railway tariff, and afford tho executive an opportunity of roviowing same prior to adoption."-<;arried. JTI Whan P[ (! i--" , i'hat tho Government be asked to set up a commission to define and report on the main arterial roads of the Dominion, with a view to the Government taking ovor and maintaining such roads."-Iteforrod to tho tioontive, with power to act.

From Kaipara.—"That a commission be set up by the Government to define what shall be the national highways of New Zealand—from the Awanui in tho north to the Bluff in' the south."—Referred to tho executive, with power to act. Holidays. It was resolved to adopt tho follow- ' ing remits:— .•From Wellington Central.—"That, in view of tho unsatisfactory interruption of business which takes place at present with our statute holidays, this conference asks tho Government to bring down legislation to Mondayise all holidays excepting Easter. Christmas, and New Tear." 'From Taranaki.—"That legislation for bringing about uniformity in half-holi-days in tho Dominion is rJ.osjral>le." Daylight Saving. Tho conference adopted the following: "That'this conference affirms the principle of 'Daylight Saving,' and urges upon the Government the advisability of introducing' the Definition of Time Bill as early as possiblo in the cconomio interests of the Dominion."—(Marlborough). "The principle of introducing tho Daylight Saving Bill."—(TaTanaki). "That it' is in the economic interests of this Dominion that tho Definition of Time Bill bo placed upon the Statute Book, and steps be taken at this conference to convey this' opinion to the Government."—(Wellington Central.) The Metric System. A motion by Mr. B. Hall (Wellington Central) to the effect that the metric system should be universally adopted' was defeated. Tendering Deposits. On tho motion of Mr. C. M.. Luke (Wellington Central), it was resolved:— That this conference considers it desirable that steps be taken to ensure that municipal bodies and harbour boards pay interest at current rates on deposits with tenders after ten days of making the deposit and until such'time as the deposit is repaid to the tenderer. ;. The Year's Officers. Officers for the ensuing year wero elected as follow:—President,-Mr. James Macintosh, Wellington (re-elected); vicepresident, Mr. E. Anderson (Auckland); executive, president, vice-president, and Messrs. H. S: Bourn (Canterbury), Walter Gow (Dunedin). C. M. Luke (Wellington Central), and E. L. Paterson (Napier).