TRADE AND INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 283, 8 May 1915, Page 8

TRADE AND INDUSTRY.

PROPOSKD HOARD. IXTKHKSTIXG AUIMKSS MY MR. .A. R. SEXNKTT. At tin' Town l!»!l la.vl. r.riii:!;:, a mt-t----iiur was held to hoar an iiddrnsg liy '.Mr. A. K. Scnnelt, «']io U organising :i board of trade and bidnMrv ;n llic Dominion. A fair number <if local business people gathered to hear Mr. Kennctt. His Wor«llim the '.Mayor, .Mr. J. K. Wilson, presided. The chairman having introduced the speaker,the latter got right down to his subject. The majority of business people, lie said, were everywhere in accord with the project, but he also found that, the agricultural community desired direct and full representation oil the proposed hoard. When agriculture was proving so successful, and such good prices were being realised for primary products, it was a big pity that such a large area in the Xorth Island was lying idle. The industry was the hackbone of the country and the Umpire. The board of trade and industry was essentially a non-political machine. It would always be put into motion to further' the efforts of all business people when ever it wan called upon so to do. The speaker then referred at great length to agriculture generally. Denmark, he said, could teach them a great lesson in this industry, it being a small country of intensive industries and elo-e sett'ement. On the other hand, New 'Zealand was a, vast dominion, very sparsely settled and cultivated. 5-Yvera'. other countries were also compare'!, the sneak-!' pointing out that a country's prosperity was not obtained by exportim' raw products. Those countries which were hi s mftnuf'.ictur.ng countries were the ones Hint yrcsrenvl. Manufactures and industry sustained the population and tended to iro-'reritv. In connection with the board of trade and industries, the'-- had twenty objects. They were:—(l) To increase the pi'osncrit" of the 'Dominion;

f'2) to promote the development of pastoral ngvienlture ••■ill horticultural industries; (3) to stimulate and encourage commerce trade and industries al•eadv established and to create new in-

dustries and employment; (It to eptahish more friendly relations between mer-

chant,*, traders, manufartores and every section of producers in the Dominion: (•"■) to establish direct relations with

the government of the day, so that the best interests of all forms of enter- ; rise and employment shall be carefully safeguarded, and the best and most economical methods provided for growth and expansion; ((i) to secure Government recognition and financial support, and to collabci.'ite with the Government of the day as nn advisory board in obtaining legislation concerning trade and industries; (7) to establish and

maintain bureaux of information for the collection and distribution of statistics

relating to British, foreign and home fnarkets, latest market rates, and prices

, ruling in various parts of the world, for all items of value to the producers, manufacturers and mercants in the Domin- | ion; (8) protection of merchants and manufacturers who desire conscientiously to refuse to trade directly or indi- ; rectly with enemy countries, and to assist them in carrying on trade within the Empire; (!)) protection of Dominion merchants and manufacturer:; by detecting and exposing abuse of trade marks, falsification as to nationality and manufacturing towns, places of origin of mercnandise, etc.; (10) to pi event loss of trade through the illicit manufacture and sa'e (if foreign goods stamped with falsified British names and trade distinctions; (11) to taJce such steps as may be open to suppress dumping: (12) to induce and arrange with home manufacturers and merchants to supply goods specially suited to colonial markets; (13) to bring about co-operative effort between diflercnt Dominion manufacturer so that manufacturers may be undertaken conjointly .which would be impossible individually, and whereby otherwise waste of products may he turned to profitable account; (14) to obtain for Dominion manufacturers the best expert advice in regard to the opening up of new industries nnd +he phut and machinery necessary for the same, and for Dominion merchants information us to the best and cheapest sources of supply of raw material and other goods required for industries; (15) to watch the interests of Dominion merchants and manufacturers by studying the incidence of liseal duty as affecting them recording anomalies, bringing the same before the Government and pressing for their amendment; (10) to act as the < on.'.('(-ting link between the Dominion and the British Board of Trade—especially its Department of Commercial Intelligence— al so _ the Imperial Institute and the Colonial Institute and other Empire departments; (17) to act in coninnction with, and as a. technical adjunct to, the chambers of commerce throughout the Dominion; ('IS) to seek to establish a Dominion of New Zealand "trade mark; (KM to establish an Empn'C' trade mark; (20) to keep the Dominion and her activities >•<>. sources and products always before the !? ( 'Yt> ■ IVorl<l ' 1,11(1 of 111 eat Britain an ,l a |j ] lor s " Tlu> Proposed board, of trade and industries yns particularly non-political, being on the same lines as the American Board "f I'ado. and they all recognised the business acumen of the citizens of that men • If "ouLl consist of the leading mm m the leading industries in the Dominion. It would com,.rise a presb dent, vice-president and forty members. Hie members would be divided into four (. litres of ten members at the four capitl I T"' the whn,c would 1 ° nC(> a J™ l "- The matt.r had been brought before the Prime Minister, and M r. Massey proved very sympathetic having promised to brin'ot o question before the Home during th? next session.

XIM tTfl 1 f Mr ' Patnn - ' r ''- S ''"» ett A> 'l-Wrnl n" IM I c<,,,tl ' , * s V '"»M sit at consist of the nrtf- i 4 , '' bnar(l SO"icfics «„ I , P ' '' , " rioU,tlU ' al 41,1. ; ; mtl '•'""'il.ors of commerce, and Ma >ois of towns over it certain miniof T°Pn!ation. The board a >'™ rd. would have „o policy «, -IcaMvHl, li^uS r ? n .* . -functions would not ho n,i mimstratn-c, but investigator y and wi-

ll i. laton then moved:—That this meeting stronpiy supports the proposal '» i«rm a board of trade ami industries and urges tiie (iovernment to give effect ti> the proposal, considering it essential to tl'c prosperity of the Dominion. •Vlr. Connctt_ seconded the motion, rpi >Vns unanimously, lie meeting concluded with'a vote of thanks to Mr. Sennctt for his address.