MIDDLEMEN'S PROFITS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15955, 17 July 1917, Page 9

MIDDLEMEN'S PROFITS.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." Sir, —Tho tiino is opportune and circumstances such as to urgently demand, both hero and moro particularly ill Groat Britain, "direct trading between tho producer and consumer with only tlie State ns intermediary bev.voc/.n.-' Thoro need bo no further concern about exploitation,'the middleman and sub-traders profiteering. In reality thoro is no necessity for such vested interests in our meat trade, sinco tho existence of theso traders iiiust certainly bo at the unnecessary "XMcnso of the producer and consumer. 1 take it that tho consumers at Home stro demanding—and rightly so —that ail exploitation and profiteering in food .supplies bo entirely eliminated. The ivmcdy is simple, just fair, and purely cio:nccratie, viz., that tho Imperial Go- % u'lnaent; as at present, continue buying tin: lucat here, control all the selling at Home at various, depots, save all pwsfc of distribution as far as possible by trading, direct with the consumer from the depots, any catering for delivery being a separate branch of the business. The buying at this end to bo per lb on hooks in works as per killing certificate —separate valuation assessed for wool, pelts, fat, hides, and tallow. By this means the producer would receive cash price per lb and thus enable all growers to have their legitimate rights to secure full Imperial values for their fat stock in New Zealand \yorks and bo independent of the arrangement as at present obtains, which is all in favour of tho vested exploiting interests as against the producer. , The foregoing solution of the meat problem is the only effective way of eliminating the multiplicity of drones living at the expense of the producor and consumer. No other compromise with tho vested interests is of any use. since, human nature being what it is, .will moro or less manifest itself every timo as opportunity offers. advantage. The meat item in the rising cost of living is a serious item of necessity to the consumer, and behoves him "to strenuously stand np for his duo rights alongside the grower, and demand that he gets his meat at cost prico in New Zealand works per Imperial Government- scale of prices.— Yours, etc., PRODUCER.