CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 18

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

BRISBANE, September 6. Twenty British and nine Canadian delegates to the Chambers of Commerce Conference arrived by the Marama. In the. course of interviews dealing with the importance of the congress in th<» direction of fostering and federating thi trade of the Empire, some of them recognised that preferential trade within tha Empire would be the principle to work on. Some of the British delegates declared that personally they strongly believed that a scheme could be devised which I would prove beneficial to both the Mother Country and the colonies. The visitors expressed their high appreciation of New Zealand and Australia's offers of assistance to the Empire's defence. " ' Mr Ames, a member of the Canadian Parliament, said that the question to be dealt with at the congress was Imperial preference. Canada had gone as far as was possible in that direction with the United Kingdom, but it was possible to go further with Australia, to the advantage of both. countries. The treaty with NewZealand -was working well. Their trade • T7ith that country had doubled in five years,' and trade arrangements between Canada and other countries had resulted ' in benefit to all. The Mayor officially welcomed thr visiting delegates.