THE BIG CONGRESS

Evening Star, Issue 22459, 2 October 1936, Page 8

THE BIG CONGRESS

INAUGURATION CEREMONY ADDRESS BY LORD EUBANK [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 2. The inauguration ceremony of the Congress of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire was held this morning. An address of welcome was given by the Governor-General, to which the president of the congress, Lord Ehhank, replied. Addresses were also given by the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) and the Minister of_ Finance (Mr Nash), and by representatives from different parts of the Empire. In the course of his address, Lord Elibank said he was gratified that Mr Savage and the members of Cabinet, Messrs Nash, Lee Martin, Sullivan, and Semple, had honoured the congress by their presence. The delegates to the congress would welcome thoir_ presence at any time during the sessions, and any expressions of opinion that they might desire to give on the subjects to be discussed. He also welcomed the Trade Commissioners of Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, who as hon. delegates would be entitled to give their views on any subject before the congress. He said congress would deal with all manner and kind of subjects, hut they would all aim at achieving one big end —the promotion and consolidation of trade and commence, and the unity of the British Empire. They might disagree among themselves on the details, hut he thought His Excellency would find, when the congress has done its work it would have maintained, and, he hoped, enhanced, the traditions for which it stood. He'expressed pleasure that the congress should take place in New Zealand. THE KING'S MESSAGE In opening the congress. Lord Galway welcomed the delegates. He said, having perused the remits, that he realised that some dealt with the most important matters the congress had ever had to consider. He read the following message from the King, who is the patron of the congress;— I send to the fourteenth congress of the Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire, which meets at Wellington to-day, my best wishes for a successful congress, and feel sure that your discussions will help to promote the trade and commerce of the Empire. MESSAGES FROM DISTINGUISHED LEADERS Lord Elibank read messages from the Prime Ministers—Mr Baldwin (Britain), Mr Mackenzie King (Canada), Mr Lyons (Australia), General Hertzog (South Africa), the Viceroy of India, and Mr George Huggins, Prime Minister of South Rhodesia. Mr Baldwin expressed the hope_ that the congress would be successful in its endeavours to elaborate further means whereby the flow of interimperial trade may be accelerated, and to re-establish prosperity throughout the Empire. Mr Mackenzie King said the Government of Canada was convinced that prosperity can only be achieved on the basis of free international trade. It was natural this policy should involve, as an initial step, an expansion of trade between the members of the British Commonwealth in the field of commerce. The efforts of the Government must be supplemented by the enterprise of individuals, and those associations representative of the business elements in the community. In the work of research and education the federation bad rendered important service in years gone by, and its opportunities for similar service had never been greater than to-day. He sent the best wishes of the Canadian Government. Mr Lyons’s message expressed good wishes and hope for success in the deliberations, as also did General Hertzog. The Viceroy said it was his earnest hope that the result of the deliberations might tend towards the expansion of world trade and prosperity, in which India and _ all the units of the British Empire might obtain a due Mr" Huggins hoped the deliberations would add to the happy relations existing between the dominions and the other component parts of the British Empire.