The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1896. PORTFOLIO OF COMMERCE.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 86, 8 October 1896, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1896. PORTFOLIO OF COMMERCE.

Therk is much good sense in the pro posal foe our Government to create a Portfoiio of Commerce. The idea has already tiiki-n hold in the United States and an attempt made to carry it into active service. The Department, it is proposed, "slial! have general jurisdiction over the foreign and internal coinmftive of the United States, exept in so far an relates to the collection or' the revenue and the administration of the Customs and internal revenue laws ; it shall also have jurisdiction over all matters relating to the manufacturing interests of the United ] States, including the extension of foreign markets for the same, and the increase of trade and trade facilities with foreign countries ; ;u<d the Secretary of Commerce and Manufactures shall have and perform all the duties now incumbent upon the Secretary of the Treasury in relation to the trade and comoierce of the United States. whether the same be upon land or water." The President of the Napier Chamber of Commerce, at the last meeting of that very useful body, advocated the creation of such a portfolio, and, in an article discussing the question, the Napier Telegraph considers that to create a Portfolio of Commerce and thus place upon a Minister the responsibility of justifying his existence by successful action, would prob ably bring into existence much entbusi asm or cause the Minister to simulate it. And although in the first case there would be the more good done, even a simulated enthusiasm would result in some benefit, because it would involve action that would induce ciiiicism in Parliament. Ou tbe whole, therefore, we think the Government would do well to add to the duties of one of the Ministry the task of specially supervising all matters relating to commerce and manufactures. And we are uader the impression that tj?e i next Parliament will see this done.