INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. GIRLING, Chairman.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1927 Session I, I-13

1.—13,

L 927. NEW ZEALAND.

INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Mr. GIRLING, Chairman.)

Presented to the House of Representatives, and ordered to be printed.

ORDERS OF REFERENCE. Extracts from the of the House of Representatives. Thursday, the 14th Bay of July, 1927. Ordered, " That all petitions not finally dealt with during the session of 1926 be again referred to the same Committees as they were referred to'during the said session." —(Right Hon. Mr. Coates.) Thursday, the 11th Day of August, 1927. Ordered, " That Standing Order 219 be suspended in order that a Select Committee be appointed, consisting of eleven members, to deal with all matters in connection with industries and commerce ; with power to call for persons, papers, and records ; three to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. Atmore, Mr. Bartram, Mr. Forsyth, Mr. Girling, Mr. Harris, Mr. H. Holland, Mr. Macmillan, Mr. Sidey, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Waite, and the mover." — Right Hon. Mr. Coates, for the Hon. Mr. McLeod.) Friday, the 12th Day of August, 1927. Ordered, " That the name of Mr. Sullivan be deleted from the Industries and Commerce Committee, and that the name of Mr. McCombs be inserted in lieu thereof."—(Right Hon. Mr. Coates.) Tuesday, the 27th Day oe September, 1927. Ordered, " That Paper No. H.-44a, Proprietary Articles Trade Association—Report of the Committee of Inquiry appointed under Section 13 of the Board of Trade Act, 1919, together with the Minutes of Proceedings and Minutes of Evidence —be referred to the Industries and Commerce Committee." —(Hon. Mr. McLeod.) Friday, the 21st Day of October, 1927. Ordered, " That the petition of the Esmos Timber and Machinery Co. and others, be referred to the Industries and Commerce Committee." —(Sir Georqe Hunter.) Friday, the 18th Day of November, 1927. Ordered, " That the petition of L. C. Williamson and others be referred to the Industries and Commerce Committee." —(Mr. J. McC. Dickson.)

INDEX.

No. Petitioner, &e. ' Page. 250 Allaway, E. A., and 243 others .. 2 208 Allen, Nellie, and 58 others .. .. 2 211 Atkinson, Daisy, and 50 others .. 2 209 Blfiir, K. A., and 58 others .. .. 2 203 Bond, E. H., and 58 others .. .. 2 197 Boocoek, Margaret A., and 58 others .. 2 273 Bowers, E., and 145 others .. .. 2 277 Boyd, H. B., and 81 others .. .. 2 201 Boyes, F. S., and 50 others .. .. 2 218 Briggs, F. E., and 44 others .. .. 2 197 Brown, M., and 58 others .. .. 2 214 Buckle, Florence, and 58 others .. 2 220 Dennis, G., and 53 others .. .. 2 205 Elwarth, M., and 58 others .. .. 2 306 Esmos Timber and Machinery Co. .. 3 Final report .. .. .. 2 191 Foy, May, and 19 others .. .. j 2 202 Garrett, Edith, and 58 others .. 2 194 Hill, J., and 19 others .. .. 2 112 Hughes, G. D. J., and 1,086 others .. 2 200 Kosovich, J. B., and 48 others .. 2 192 Lapham, M., and 19 others .. .. 2 207 Lloyd, J. E., and 55 others .. .. 2

No. Petitioner, &c. Page. I ~ i 210 McCraeken, S., and 65 others .. j 2 212 Mitchell, A., and 58 others .. .. j 2 287/26 | Naughton, P., and 1,489-others ..I 2 199 | Parish, Alice, and 50 others .. .. 2 275 | Peacock, J., and 141 others .. .. 2 206 Phillips, E., and 9 others .. .. 2 Proprietary Articles Trade Association 2 193 Proudfoot, T., and 19 others .. 2 j 213 Ritchie, Margaret, and 58 others .. 2 195 Robinson, N., and 58 others.. .. 2 215 Ryan, N., and 25 others .. .. 2 216 Scott, S. S., and 58 others .. .. 2 204 Simpson, W., and 54 others .. .. 2 219 Skelsey, E., and 34 others .. .. 2 Special report (Chairman) .. .. 3 i Special report re Mr. A. Harris, M.P. .. 3 | Special report (re Clerk) .. .. 3 272 j Sutherland. B., and 803 others .. 2 274 | Thornalley, H. F., and 137 others .. 2 196 j Vaughan, Ada, and 58 others .. 2 217 Ward, Ethel, and 28 others .. .. 2 286/26 j Williamson, L. C., and 2,517 others .. 3 276 Williamson, L. C., and .109 others .. 2

1.—13.

REPORTS. Special Report. Resolved, That this Committee desires to place on record its higli appreciation of the valuable services rendered to the Committee by its late Chairman, Mr. A. Harris, who has acted in that capacity with distinction since the inception of the Committee in 1923. It is further resolved that this resolution be conveyed to Mr. Harris, recorded in the minutes, and reported to the House. 4th October, 1927. W. J. Girling, Chairman.

No. 287/26. —Petition of P. Naughton, of Wellington, and 1,489 Others (and 8 similar Petitions, as per Schedule attached). Pp.aying for amendment of the Board of Trade Act, 1919" against monopolies and restraint of tradeI am directed to report that this Committee is unable to recommend that legislation be passed to prevent the fixation of prices without any regard to whether such prices are reasonable or otherwise, but it recommends that careful supervision be exercised by the Department of Industries and Commerce with a view to preventing the possibility of exploitation by individual manufacturers or merchants. 20th October, 1927. Schedule. No. 112.— G. D. J. Hughes and 1,086 others. No. 274. —H. F. Thornalley and 137 others. No. 250.— E. A. Allaway and 243 others. No. 275.— J. Peacock and 141 others. No. 272. —B. Sutherland and 803 others. No. 276.—L. C. Williamson and 109 others. No. 273. —E. Bowers and 145 others. No. 277. —H. B. Boyd and 81 others.

Paper H.-44a, Proprietary Articles Trade Association. I am directed to report that the Committee concurs in the recommendation of the Committee of Inquiry into the proposed operations of the Proprietary Articles Trade Association, and recommends to the Government that, if and when necessary, regulations be made to prevent the Proprietary Articles Trade Association, or any similar combination, from operating in New Zealand. 20th October, 1927.

No. 191. —Petition of May Foy, of Wanganui, and 19 Others (and 29 similar Petitions, as per Schedule attached). Praying that the importation of low-priced shoddy material and clothing may be prohibited, and a slight increase in duty be put on certain better materials. I am directed to report that, in view of the recent revision of the tariff, the Committee has no recommendation to make. 9th November, 1927. Schedule. No. 192. —M. Lapham and 19 others. No. 207. —J. I). Lloyd and 55 others. No. 193, —T. Proudfoot and 19 others. No. 208. —Nellie Allen and 58 others. No. 194. —J- Hill and 19 others. No. 209.— W. A. Blair and 58 others. No. 195. —N. Robinson and 58 others. No. 210.—5. McCracken and 65 others. No. 196. —Ada Vaughan and 58 others. No. 211.—Daisy Atkinson and 50 others. No. 197.—Margaret A. Boocoek and 58 others. No. 212. —A. Mitchell and 58 others. No. 198.—M. Brown and 58 others. No. 213. —Margaret Ritchie and 58 others. No. 199. —Alice Parish and 50 others. No. 214.—Florence Buckle and 58 others. No. 200. —J. B. Kosovich and 48 others. No. 215. —N. Ryan and 25 others. No. 201. —F. S. Boyes and 50 others. No. 216. —S. S. Scott and 58 others. No. 202.—Edith Garrett and 58 others. No. 217.—Ethel Ward and 28 others. No. 203.— E. H. Bond and 58 others. No. 218.— F. E. Briggs and 44 others. No. 204. —W. Simpson and 54 others. No. 219.— E. Skelsey and 34 others. No. 205. —M. Elwarth and 58 others. No. 220.—6. Dennis and 53 others. No. 206. —E. Phillips and 9 others.

2

1.—13

No. 306. —Petition of the Esmos Timber and Machinery Co., of Wellington, and 17 Others. Praying that woodworking machinery be added to the Seventh Schedule of the Chattels Transfer Act, in order that it may be immune from registration under hire-purchase agreements. I am directed to report that the Committee has no recommendation to make. 9th November, 1927.

No. 286/26. —Petition of L. C. Williamson, of Wellington, and 2,517 Others. Praying for an amendment of the Board of Trade Act, 1919. I am directed to report that, the subject-matter of this petition having been dealt with in an earlier report of this Committee during the present session, the Committee has no recommendation to make. 29th November, 1927.

Special Report. # I have the honour to report that the Industries and Commerce Committee desires to record its great appreciation of the courtesy and ability with which the Chairman, Mr. Girling, has presided over the business of the Committee during the session. It further desires that this resolution shall be recorded in the minutes of the Committee and reported to the House. C. E. Macmillan, 29th November, 1927. Member of the Committee.

Special Report. I am directed to report that the Industries and Commerce Committee desires to compliment Mr. Edward F. Fox on the manner in which he has this session again carried out the duties of Clerk to the Committee, and desires that this resolution be recorded in the minutes of the Committee, and also that it be reported to the House. 29th November, 1927.

Final Report. I have the honour to report that the Industries and Commerce Committee, consisting of eleven members, has held eight meetings during the session, with an average attendance of seven members. The Committee heard forty-one petitions, of which ten were concerned with the important question of price-fixing in regard to the necessaries of life, and thirty with the importation of alleged shoddy materials. It also considered the report of the Commission of Inquiry on the Proprietary Articles Trade Association, and a matter referred to it by the Minister. 29th November, 1927. W. J. Girling, Chairman.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (475 copies), £3 10s.

Authority: W. A. G. Skinner, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 927.

Price 3d.]

3