CENTRAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3138, 17 July 1917, Page 9

CENTRAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

YESTERDAY'S MEETING

The Arlington Central Chamber of Commerce met yesterday afternoon. Mr. O. it. Luko presided. Tlio chairman reported that the Jiinibter ot Imanco had t agreed to consider tho representations of tho chamber in regard to tho cxcess proiits tax The secretary was instructed'to report m 1 r!? £Pf sl m Kn amendment ill the Chattels lransfor Act in accordance with the representations of the chamber The chairman was appointed to roprd sent the chamber at tho annual meetinof the New Zealand Forestry League. The ivfasterton Chamber of Commerce solicited support for the followin- resolution "That tho chamber views with ■'ii-faction that tho Minister of Marino promised to tako action regardinproposed amalgamation between tlie P. ai.d 0. Company and tlio U.S.S. Company of A'ew Zealand, and urges both tho Chambers of Commerce in Wellington to support the Government in this matter."

The chairman said that in his opinion, if the country was to protect not onlv its intercolonial but its foreign trade, it would have to launch cut in a Dominion line. It was, however, too late to do anything in tho matter of tlie merger. The. opinion of members generally was in accordance with that of Mr. liuke.

So far as the Masterton resolution was concerned, tho chamber decided that it had no recommendation to make.

The Rotorua Chamber of Commerce advised that the Minister in Charge of the Prisons Department had replied to its representations urging the utilisation of prison labour on the arterial roads of the Dominion. The .Minister's reply had indicated that prisoners who were physically fit were already fully employed on useful reproductive works, and that there was no surplus prison labour available for outside work. The Rotorua Chamber asked the Wellington Chamber to support it further in its attitude on the question, and the 'Wellington Chamber agreed. In view of the. present position in shipping, Mr. Leigh Hunt moved: "That tho chamber upholds the principle of tho establishment of a Dominion-controll-ed oversea shipping company, and hopes that it will meet with the approval of the Government and the producers of the country." The motion was carried. Tlie quarterly general meeting of the chamber was subsequently held, the business being chiefly formai. The chairman said that a representative of the Russian Government would visiit New Zealand shortly, and the Central Chamber intended to-join with the other Wellington Chamber in extending to him a hearty welcome. Captain Barclay addressed the meeting on tho work of the Empire Service League, and points arising out of I'. L. Witlierby's pamphlet "What Freedom Means."