CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1923, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

A LENGTHY REPORT. AtSTIIAIiIAN ANT) N.Z. C'AJH.K ASSOCIATION. (Received tliis (lav at 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 13. The Council of the British Chambers of Commerce report extends a welcome to the Dominions’ representatives to the Imperial Economic Conference. Tie Chambers believes representations regarding preferential tariffs should he closely examined, and consider cherts should he directed to the securing of emigration of you no men, aged 18 to 22. who owing to the present wage system, are being paid for work which before the war was performed by lads of 14 to 16, this system causing the degeneration of young men. Therefoie it would be better if they emigrated to a- Dominion. The Association strongly favours penny postage, and speedier mail services, as delays in mails tend to drive trade from the Dominions to foreign countries. The repot t considers the great possibilities in air communication, and urges Government to give every assistance. Tt demands immediate extension of wireless, either by Government or private enterprise. The Association also favours a modification of laws relating to patents, trade marks and assimilation of commercial laws ol the Empire ami unification of certificates of origin. It requests the abolition of double income tax. Dealing with education, the report stresses the vital impmtance of uniform teaching throughout the Empire of the essential unity of the Empire, and its great possibilities and Empire history text books should be rewritten. The icport urges a uniform celebration ol Empire Day.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. (Received this dnv at 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 12. Bradford Chamber of Commerce recommends to the Imperial Conference, the imposition by dominions of an export duly on ali raw materials, of which they possess a virtual monopoly. The motion was only carried by 11 votes to 9. Mr Gerald Gaunt, in opposing it. said if any dominion adopted export taxes on its products, other nations might ho expected to retaliate with export taxes on their products, such ns cotton. Producers could only he expected to restrict their market by the adoption of export duties, if .they received adequate compensation. Tt was evident the motion aimed principally at merino wool, of which Britain only consumed twenty per cent, the remainder going to foreign countries. The Chamber adopted a resolution demanding an inquiry under the antidlimning Act into unemployment in Bradford. One speaker emphasised the point that Bradford’s depression was partly duo to the French' exchange rate. He suggested that as the Chamber had recently accepted Roubaix’s invitation to view the devastations there, the Chamber should invite Roubaix friends to Bradford to so" her devastated area, namely, her long queues of unemployed.