PRIVATE ENTERPRISE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 September 1938, Page 5

PRIVATE ENTERPRISE

AS OPPOSED TO STATE ACTION NOTABLE CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON. PROMOTION OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day.

Nearly 100 representatives of private enterprise, drawn from eight provinces, attended a conference convened by the Tell New Zealand Campaign and held in Wellington on Wednesday. The advisory council of the Tell New Zealand Campaign was appointed as a committee to constitute a National Development Council. Broadly, the object of the council will be to increase the prosperity of New Zealand by the development of private enterprise as an alternative to Sta+e enterprise.

Speakers expressed alarm at increasing Government interference in business and at heavy taxation, which was retarding development. The formation of a body, which would have the confidence of all sections of private enterprise, was, they considered, necessary.

It was stressed that private enterprise included all business, from the smallest shop to the largest company, and all farming interests. A programme giving a true balance between primary and secondary development was essential. “There is no room in New Zealand for a town versus country outlook,” one speakerstated.

The Leader of the Opposition and of .the National Party, the Hon Adam Hamilton, addressed the conference. “We want private enterprise to do the job in New Zealand,” he v said. He added a warning that the joo must be done efficiently or the capitalist system would disappear from New Zealand. Resolutions carried unanimously were:—

That this conference, recognising the need for organised action by private enterprise, appoints the advisory council of the Tell New Zealand campaign as a committee (with power to add) to constitute a National Development Council, representative of private enterprise to: — (a) Co-operate with all or any institutions of private enterprise in facilitating the expansion of existing industry in New Zealand or the development of New Zealand industry. (b) Co L operate with the Government for the time being in such manner as may seem to the council to be wise or expedient in achieving the objectives mentioned under (a). (c) Establish such relations as may seem wise or expedient with the Empire Development Council or any other body or bodies in Great Britain or elsewhere whose objectives may be of value or assistance to the council. (d) Take all such steps as the council may deem necessary to achieve the objectives above mentioned.

That, pending the appointment of the National Development Council the advisory council to the Tell New Zealand Campaign be empowered to take any steps necessary or desirable to further the objectives of the proposed National Development Council. That this conference, believing that a policy of excessive taxation and excessive borrowing must inevitably bring disaster in its train and that the socialisation of industry must stifle initiative and retard the production of real wealth, requests the Government to reverse its present policy and to adopt in its place a policy of tax reduction, debt reduction, and private business expansion, as the way to prosperity for the New Zealand worker and employer alike. That this conference requests the Hon A. Hamilton to say whether his party will, in general terms, adopt the policy stated in the preceding paragraph, provided the leaders of enterprise are prepared to organise private business expansion.

That this conference agrees that any such change of policy should be carried out at a pace which will not dislocate commercial policies built up to meet present Government policy or in a manner that will make the working man the victim of the change. At the end of the conference the following further resolutions were passed unanimously:— That this conference commends the work of the Tell New Zealand Campaign in organising this conference of private enterprise. That those present agree to co-oper-ate in their own areas with any committee set up to assist the National Development Council in its work. That those present will assist in every way possible to establish a fund to enable the work of the National Development Council to be properly carried out.