THE BOARD OF TRADE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 19

THE BOARD OF TRADE.

LONDON, January 16. . Unless the Government indicates its intention to raise the President of the Board ej, -Trade .to the esme status as other Secretaries of State, the matter is to be anade'the subject of an amendment to the Address-in-Reply. The demand for the recognition referred to is an evolutionary step in the relations between the Government and trade. The British. Board of Trade exercises supervision over almost every branch of industrial activity. It controls bankruptcy, all ministrations, commerce,' Jabour, statistics, comigeEoial intelligence," companies, ,law, irail--■ways/ merchant' shipping, and. so on- The first * committee for trade appears to" have teen appointed in the year, 1622, during the reign of James I. It was .reconstituted .by Charles I, and held -meetings from time to. time fi0m.1625 "t0_1640. .During the Commonwealth; tlie Council" of State," which; wae constituted in 1649-50, passed a resolution directing ''thei whole 'council or any five of Jhem.to be .a committee for Trade and Plantations. '\ In 1660 Charles_ 11 . constituted a Council .for Trade and! another Council of Toreign -Plantations. " These were amalgamated in 1672, but in 1675 their duties were |rarsferj»d. *-» d*s Prixy^ Council. In. 1695,

under William 111, and from time to time afterwards, the council was revived'; but on the motion of Burke- it was abolished in 1782. In 1786 a. permanent committee was . formed under an Order-in-Council, which still jregulates the legal constitution of the board. The working of the, department is now assimilated to that of the other great offices of State, its work being done by the president aided by a permanent staff. The work of the department has enormously increased since 1786, by -the growth of joint stockcompanies, the establishment and development of railways, the increase in shipping, and other Jndustrial developments, which have imposed new administrative duties ! upon it. , j