AGAINST ARBITRATION

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1929, Page 6

AGAINST ARBITRATION

CHAMBERS OF COMMIERCE REA I ITS. (By Telegraph—Press Association). AUCKLAND, October. 14. Closer co-operation between employers and employees in industry was urged at the. Annual Conference of the Association of Chambers of Commerce, and a remit was carried recommending the Government to convene another National Industrial Conference, similar to that held .in April and May of last year. It was felt that the last conference was pioductivc of much good, and a further mutual discussion of problems associated with industrial employment would ensure beneficial relationships of capital and labour interests. Criticism was levelled at the Arbitration system, the contention being advanced that it was a bar to progress. It was decided to recommend that legislation he enacted to bring into operation Cash Order Trading, in accordance with suggestions made by the recent Commission of Inquiry into the system. The Conference favoured the modernising of the Companies Act, and carried a Canterbury remit urging that legislation to this end he brought down without delay, particular attention to ho paid to the protect ion of the public in respect to new company flotations. Taxation formed the subject of several remits. The question was opened on a remit 'being submitted by Wellington delegates expressing regret that increases in taxation had been fpund necessary in order to balance the national finances, and expressing a hope that the Government would relieve any added imposts on trade and industry. Special reference was made to the primage duty upon practically all imported articles. The remit was carried. A remit urging the Government to consider the rajVdly increasing public expenditure and taxation with a view to effecting a definite programme of economy, was. also carried. A proposal was advanced by Mir Rankin (Wanganui) that land tax should be abolished in its entirety,and that income tax should he levied on all sections of the community. After a lengthy discussion this remit was altered to read: “That this conference is of opinion that, wheie ever possible, income tax should he levied, instead" of land taxation.” This was carried.