CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE CONGRESS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1920, Page 6

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE CONGRESS.

OPENED BY MINISTER. .. By Telecraiih. —Press Association. Wellington, Nov. 2-1. The conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand opened to-day, Mr. Walter Gow (Dunedin) presiding. Addressing the conferenc;, the Hon. Mr. Lee, Minister of Industiies iind Commerce, said he thought New Zealand could congratulate itself upon its position to-day. Referring to the item on the agenda paper, "Economy in Government Departments," Mr. Lee said that, while agreeing with the need for this, he would like to stress the fact that general economy was desirable. Men families and with small means, he said, were having a hard struggle against existing circumstances in many eases. Putting that to one side, however, there Was at the present time, in his judgment, a lack of economy among the younger inembe ■.•» of the community, in particular among the unmarried. Anyone reading the history of this country could see it was built up hy what might be termed rigid economy, and he thought the following of that example would gjve us one of the solutions of the problems of to-day. This applied not only to the Government departments, but generally in the conduct of the daily life of the conmunity. •RESOLUTIONS CARRIED The Associated Chambsrs resolved to draw the Government's attention to the United States Merchant Marina Act, 1920, the so-called Jones Law, and urge the adoption of measures to prevent importers suffering disability where shipments are made in British vessels. It adopted a Dunedin remit regretting the dropping of the provision in the Land and Income Tax Amendment which put municipal trading concerns on the same footing as private business, also the Canterbury remit asking for a Royal Commission to inquire into the principles and incidence of all taxation in the Dominion, and make a recommendation as to all the taxe* to be levied during the fiscal year 1920-21.