CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Evening Star, Issue 23376, 20 September 1939, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

SLUICING OF GROWN LANDS PREPARATIONS FOR WAR The monthly meeting of the council of the Chamber Commerce was held last night, the president (Mr C. L. Calvert) being in the chair. Also present were Messrs C. M. Bruce, S. Lawn, C. E. Begg, R. C. Burgess, J. M‘Knight, H. L. Lohgbottom, H. L. Gibson, M. G. Blak, I. M. Armour, J. H. Edmond, T. S. Coull, J. S. Skinner, A. E. Hargreaves. A. C. Leary, A. C. Cameron, G. W. Love, W, A. Mackay, W. G. Young, and H. F. Larsen. During the discussion of the_ Dominion’s preparations for prosecuting the war Mr A. C, Cameron intimated he proposed submitting a _ resolution advocating compulsory military training. Mr R. C. Burgess said the subject was of vital importance, and_ warranted) wider discussion by a special meeting. It was a subject which should be embodied in a remit to the conference of the associated chambers in November. Not only did the question of conscription of men arise, but the conscription of wealth. There were many aspects and anomalies. For instance, carpenters wore getting £l2 a week building huts for soldiers who were being paid 7s a day. He moved that the council call a special meeting to discuss this matter with other remits to go forward to the conference. If a meeting were held in a week’s time they would then know more of the - Government’s intention, especially as regards its financial policy. Mr J. M'Knight, representing the R.S.A.. who seconded the motion, said the chamber would have the wholehearted support of his association in any remit dealing with matter which was passed) by the council. _ Compulsory military training was one thing and conscription quite a different matter. Mr Burgess had touched on a third question, the conscription of wealth. He took it, stated Mr Cameron, that they could discuss the whole question without forwarding the remit to the Wellington conference. Mr Calvert intimated that was the position. Mr Burgess’s motion was then carried, the council deciding to hold) a special meeting on Tuesday evening nest. DESPOILING LAND. Mr A. C. Cameron, referring to the despoliation of good arable Crown land by mining interests, suggested the matter was one for a special remit to the associated chamber of commerce conference to be held at Wellington on November 15 and 16. The Dunedin Chamber, he added, had always been active in this matter, and had forwarded) a remit to the conference in 1934. He mpved that the following remit go forward from Dunedin:— “ That the Government ho urged to introduce legislation which will make it impossible for good arable Crown land to he sluiced away or otherwise despoiled by mining, unless—(l) the warden receives a report from the land board for the district concerned agreeing to such laud being sluiced; (2) that full compensation be paid to the Crown tenant occupying such land; (3) that the land briard shall not consent to such I mining unless by proper prospecting that the land is rich enough to warrant same being despoiled for all time provided that any aggrieved applicant shall have'a right of appeal to the Supreme Court; (4) also that legislation be enacted for the preservation of all good arable land other than Crown land; and (5) that the whole mining legislation be revised and consolidated at the earliest possible date,” A remit along these lines was adopted by the 1934 conference, Mr Cameron added. The land to-day was much the same now as it was then. The Government of that day did nothing, and the matter had been shelved ever since. It was time further representations were made.—The motion was carried. EXECUTIVE REPORT. The executive reported that the Canterbury Chamber wrote asking or support in opposing the Pharmacy Bill. The executive had discussed matter with representatives of the chemists and of the Master Grocers’ Association, and the matter was still under consideration.