COMMERCE AND POLITICS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 149, 19 March 1920, Page 7

COMMERCE AND POLITICS

MORE BUSINESS MEN NEEDED. "I regret to see so few commercial men in the' House," remarked the Hon. A. M. Myers, M.P., when addressing a gathering of commercial travellers at the Commercial Travellers' Club last,evening, on the eve. of his departure for the Old Country. "I am not doing arty other section of the community any injustice when I say that constructive ability rests with the commercial man. Tt is his business. He has to solve questions, look ahead, and, in the light of experience gained, lay down a policy and work to it. I believe' that the commercial man embodies that particular ideal inoiri than any othev. pection of the community. , . . Enough commercial men do not offer their services, for politics, T believe that we as a class are too selfish in looking after the 'almighty dollar.' if you will pnrmit me to say that with all respect. Perhaps the majority of commercial people cannot spare tho time for politics, but (here a"e some who could spare the time, and their ripe experience would be of irf'alculable benefi' to their fellow-c-tizens."

Mr. Myers added thai' 'lie had always heen impressed durinir *h'i3 travels with flw' litcfli moral stnndin? of the commercial niejl of New Zealand. Enormous transactions were carried out daily ly by word of mouth, and it wns'alroost an unheard-of thin? to frnjl f'at anv commercial man had broken bis word. (Applause.) "ton gentlemen are playing a ve.ry important part in the community," continued Mr. Myers. "Not only does your influence, extend anion? the commercial clashes, our, also,' J venture to pay, to a much larger extent than probnlily yon inmeino. And. if. has had M effect on our polities. I Mieve our politics, are clean in New Zealand—cleaner than in any other part of the world. (Annlnuse.) I felt my responsibility as Minister of Munitions, and I am proud to say that New Zealand is the only country in the world that never had n scandal." (Applause.)