CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1925, Page 4

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

DUNEDIN, November 23. There was a large attendance of delegates and visitors at the municipal council chambers this morning for the opening of the. annual conference of t !:e Association of New Zealand Chambers of Commerce. Among tnose present were:—Captain M. E. J. Moore .Secretary-General ol the British Coinmission at the Now Zealand and South Seas Exhibition), Mr J. AY. C'ollins Secretary to the Department of Industries and Commerce and New Zealand Commissioner to the Exhibitiop \ and Mr L. A. Johnston (private secretary t'i the Hon AY. Downie Stewart, Minister of Customs and of Industries and Commerce, who was unable through illness to attend tin- conference), also a number of ladies. A heartv civic welcome was extended to Hie visiting delegates and their wives and to other visitors by tho Mayor, .Air 11. L. Tapley, .ALT’. REMITS. The conference dealt with about half of the remits during the sitting. Dealing with the incidence of taxation, it reaffirmed its previously expressed opinion that a graduated tax upon the income of individuals, in cont radislinctleu to one upon the income ol corporations in which they may have an interest, is the fairest and least oppressive form of taxation to primary and scioiidary producer alike. The conference expressed keen disappointment at the i outiniied failure ol the Govcnc mcnl to give effect t" the recoininemhitions of tie Royal Commission on Taxation. A resolution also was passed protesting against the freedom from taxation enjoyed liv institutions controlled by the State and local bodies. A proposal that the income lax exemption to unmarried persons he fixed at L'3oo was carried. The conference urged that tho existing indefensible differentiation in favour of debentures issued prior lo 1923 he discontinued.

Lower telephone charges were ml reacted. and a. proposal was adopted that. w hen a surplus results from the telephone branch of the Post and Telegraph Department, a concession in annual rates ho given to users.

Revision ol bankruptcy legislation was advocated, and a remit that the present rate of twopence on cheques mid receipts he abolished, and a reversion he made to the per-war penny duty, was approved. The Government was urged to amend the list of statutory hank holidays, to conform with those of other commercial institutions.

A proposal that hanks should close at noon on Saturdays, instead of 11.30, was defeated.

The conference reaffirmed a previous resolution regarding tUe desirability of the Government inviting tenders by advertisement in the usual manner for goods, etc. The need for greater publicity abroad, thus assisting in the prosperity and progress of the Dominion, was strongly stressed.