EMPIRE FOODSTUFFS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 249, 20 October 1922, Page 5

EMPIRE FOODSTUFFS.

SUPPLIES FOR EXHIBITION. BAR ON FOREIGN GOODS. SIR J. D. COKNOLLT'S FLAK. I By Cable—Press Aisoclatioa.—iCepyrifht.l iEer.«iTe.l 10 «.m.' LONDON - , October 19. Mr. A. H. McMahon, chairman of the nanagemvnt committee of the Empire \ Exhibition, writes (o the Press declarng that the committee fully agrees witli tfr. Donald on the principle of giving jreference to Empire produce in the resaurante, the only difference referring to the manner in which the wishes of the Dominion-i can be beet carried out. The "ommittee has been warned by expert j idviaers of the difficulty of enforcing the j ieeired conditions. The task of the t caterers i<; already formidable, and the . lommittec ha* not succeeded in finding j my firm willing to undertake the business subject to the riftid restriction* suggested by Mr. Donald. The general manager, however, lies been instructed in negotiating with the caterers to enieavour to meet the wiahe* of the Dominions enbject to net-eseary exceptions, such as Havana cigars and French wines. Regarding the use of Kroeire timber, j Mr. Donald appears to have completely j misunderstood the general manager * j report, which did not suggest that tlie j Empire did not contain suitable feneinsf timber, but merely referred to the difficulty in obtaining suitable materia! for urgent requirements from etoek? at present available in Britain. Mr. T. D. Connolly, Agent-General for Weetralia, has written to Sir Joseph Cook suggesting thni ho should call a j meeting of all High C'ommisFionere and Afrents-General to consider the position arising from Mr. Donald's letter reerarding the Empire Exhibition. Sir J. H C'onnollv said he will recommend Weet Australia not io participate in the «lhibition if it ie going to be a semi-foreign affair. He has a-lwaya understood that the exhibition's mime aim was to break r'owTi the ring of veeted interests which for years has been working to bolster no foreism i-ommodiiiea, especially food. If the Board of Trade ssid, as report* 3., \ tlidt the Enipirp could not oiipply meat. j fruit, nini.e. and r-heese. i< »ln>»i ■srilful . ignorance of Dominion conditions. 1 Even more astounding is the statement j by the general manager of the exhibition . that tbe Dominions cannot supply suit- ■ able timber for fence*. Sir J. D. Con- 1 nolly tindcrtalces to provide Weet Au»- i tralian fencing timber equal to or bett*r j than any in the world. Tbe timber i exhibition of ID3O showed wealth end variety of Imperial timber supplies I Mr. Robert Donald states that Mr. Me-1 Mabon evade" th« issue* raised, and an inr(Uiry into the whole business organisation of the exhibition i.* wanted. Mr. | Donald a!l«t;i»» ihat tlieconditiona and expectations on which the Dominions jjave financial support are not being fulfilled. These have been declared impracticable or impossible without the Dotnin- ] ions being consulted. Delay in regard to entering was due entirely to dilatory methods of management, as twenty months have elapsed eince tht ' tione began. Similarly, timber require- j ments were known two years »go, and \ there had been plenty of time to get I suitable Empire timber. Hα challenges ' the general manager io deny that he. sought advice from a foreign timber , importer instead of consulting the ' Dominions.'— f A. and N.Z. Cable.) J CUTTING OUT FOREIGNERS. I.OXDON, October 19. j Sir Joseph Cook, High Commissioner ] of Australia, in a letter to the Press, j eaye that Mr. Robert Donald's disclosure j of the attitude of the management of i the Empire Exhibition toward the pro- \ poeal that Imperial foodstuffs should be exclusively used in catering, is a most unfortunate commencement. The assertion tha>t it is impracticable for tli* Dominions to supply all foodstuff* and other necessaries for tbe restaurant* is pure nonsense, and Mr. Donald's reference will cause consternation, in tbe i Dominions. 'Die latter coold provide j everything needful for tho exhibition, j from its foundations right through its \ construction and equipment. | '■The main object of the exhibition.") Sir Joseph Cook adds, "is to show the | people of this country the foodstuffs ami j products of the Empire. Obviously there ! is no better way of illustrating the i variety and quality of foodstuffs than by giving the public the opportunity of eating them. Australia certainly expects that Empire foodstuffs will be served in the restaurants. It seems inconceivable that the authorities are unwilling to insist on this condition." —(A. and 'S.Z.) j AUSTRALIA WANTS CATERING (n«.:eivefl 12.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, this day. > The Federal Government has Instructed Sir Joseph Cook to press for preference to the Empire foodett'li's in catering arrangements at the Empire Exhibition. The State Governments will eupnort this stand.—(A. and X.Z. Cable.)