THE EFFICIENCY BOARD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3193, 18 September 1917, Page 4

THE EFFICIENCY BOARD

A CHAMUER OP COMMERCE INDIGNANT. At yesterday's meeting of tho Council of tho Central Chamber of Commerce it was resolved, on the motion ,of Mr. A. Leigh Hunt: "That -.his chamber views with alarm the possibility of tho Dominion at this critical lime losing tho valuable services of the j resent National JtJliciency Commissioners, who, i>y ..their patriotic service , , proved ability, and impartiality, have won the confidence of tho country. It is of the highest national importance that the board should continue their labours without hindrance either by politicians or vested : ntereste, and it should receive tho sympathetic assistance of the Government as a whole and Ministers .individually. Not «nly should tho National Govsnimont ensure tho retention of rhe present members of the board, but it should follow the lead cf the British Primo Minister, and 'call to its aid business men of integrity and capacity to assist in solving (apart from all but national considerations) the many vital questions which, have to be capably dealt with during and after the war, if disaster, is to be avoided. That ihechnmber will heartily co-operate with other bodies in urging the Government to adopt the .above policv." . ; In speaking to the resolution, Mr. Leigh Hunt said he regarded tho resignation of the members of the_ Efficiency Board as one of the most serions occurrences since (ho outreak of war. To think that men had given up important posts, probably at considerable sacrifice lo themselves, lo do what they hoped would be valuable work in tho interests of their country, and then to find that their views were not acceptable, but were passed lightly by, meant that the time was approaching when they wonld have nothing free from political influence. Ono wonld have imagined that the prosent was the time when the men of brains and position would come forward to help the country, but such treatment was opposed to tho idea, though it had been successfully applied in England. Mr. Lei-rh Hunt hinted that lie believed that another board, similarly constituted, was also about to tender its resignation. , Mr L A. Edwards said ho believed in the principle of business men aiding the Government, but could not support the resolution, for the reason that he did not know what the board had reported; He could not support such a motion Mindly. TTp then "avc the board some confidential information about, the Efficiency Board, from .a lii"l> authority, which also influenced him in not voting on such a resolution without seems the report. On bein? put, Mr.. Hunt's motion was carried, Mr. Edwards alone dissenting.