PROTESTS USELESS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20958, 10 November 1939, Page 7

PROTESTS USELESS

PLAINER ACTION NEEDED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VIEWS QUESTION OF MASS MEETING The deterioration of New Zealand’s economic position was viewed with grave concern by the executive committee of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce which met yesterday afternoon to consider possible action which the chamber might take in an effort to secure amelioration. It was stated that little result could be secured by sitting around a table deploring the position. Protests to the Government had met with no success and the time had definitely arrived for more direct action. Mainly in view of the fact that another organisation in Hamilton was organising a course of action to express more forcefully the indignation at the trend of Government legislation, the chamber decided to adjourn its discussion for a short time and also to await the report of the Dominion Conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, in Wellington, next week, from its delegate, Mr A. G. Ward. It was also decided to confer, in the meantime, with the Hamilton Retailers’ Association. Mr C. W. Pepperell, who presided over the meeting, stated that a communication had been received from the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, expressing the opinion that the Hamilton Chamber might consider it desirable to take a similar course of action to that in Auckland, where a mass protest meeting against Government measures was recently organised. “Something Will Happen” Mr Pepperell said he did not consider that the chamber should be saddled with the responsibility of calling a meeting in Hamilton. The whole-hearted support of every interested organisation in the Waikato would be required and their complete sympathy with the movement would have to be assured. Unity was essential, otherwise no progress would be made. “We must realise to-day,” said Mr N. H. Hooker, “that direct action is necessary. It is no use sending delegations to Wellington because they do not get anywhere. Another organisation in this town is taking action, however, and I think that you will find in a week or two that something will happen. We have to talk to the Labour Government in their own words. It is no use getting knocked back from time to time and finding all the while that the position is getting worse. All the businessmen are finding that the position regarding stocks is becoming very acute, and it is no use sitting down just talking about it until half of us are out of business before taking any action. I think you will find that retailers right throughout New Zealand are organising and some sort of action will be taken in the very near future.” Representations Unheeded Referring to the price tribunal, Mr Pepperell said the Government had taken practically no heed of the representations of the business community. It would not allow retailers to increase the price of articles in accordance with replacement costs. If anything was shutting the door on business it was that. Mr Hooker: There is only one way to shift them. “I would not mind being in the front line myself,” said Mr Pepperell, “but it is a big movement and it will take a great deal of organising.” Mr Hooker: What do you suggest as an alternative? Sitting down and waiting until half the business houses have closed down? Mr Pepperell commented that after February, at the latest, probably, the position of business houses would become serious. Not half the required merchandise was being imported and people would find that they could not secure half the goods they required to purchase. When the action of the Government rebounded onto the wage-earner, who would be seriously affected when staffs were depleted, the income of shops would fall considerably more. “We have reached the stage,” said Mr A. J. Yendell, “where united action is necessary. Farmers and Businessmen Mr R. R. Challiner, secretary to the chamber, said the Chamber of Commerce should give a lead to the business community of Hamilton. Speaking from the point of view of the farmers, Mr R. G. Young said the rank and file of the dairying community was likely to become downhearted if no further action was taken in the event of the recent mass protests being ignored by the Government. The difficulties of the business community must increase if the farmers were not assisted. The dairy industry had been asked to increase production but under the present circumstances it was impossible to do so. The position must deteriorate until that was made possible for the industry, and the farmer was able to recover his costs of production. In New Zealand the farmer alone produced overseas exchange, arid until he was put in a position to build up sterling credits the country would not get anywhere. He considered the farmers and the businessmen should endeavour to take some unified line of action. Mr Hooker commented that if the present Government could not make financial arrangements in London so that goods could be imported into the country, it would come to direct action and a show-down, and some other Government would have to take control. Meaning of “Direct Action” Mr Pepperell said one of the surest methods of success would be if the employee helped the employer to secure redress from the Government. Mr Hooker was asked what he implied by the term “direct action” and he replied that it had become senseless sending delegations to the Government. The business community would have to speak to the Government in words that it would understand. The Hon. P. c. Webb had said that men were justified in striking if they could not secure what they wanted. "We too, then, would be justified in talking strikes. There has been too much sitting down and talking and nothing being done. It is action on

the spot we want and this chamber ought to take the step and call an indignation meeting,” said Mr Hooker. It was decided that a sub-commit-tee of the chamber should be appointed to confer with the Hamilton Retailers’ Association with a view to discussing the most suitable way to organise the question before the chamber.