FINANCE AND COMMERCE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19611, 6 May 1929, Page 12

FINANCE AND COMMERCE.

N.Z. POTATOES. AUSTRALIAN EMBARGO. GROWERS WANT IT LIFTED. "That this meeting of potato grower* requests the Government to take immediate *tep» to negotiate with the Commonwealth Government, to permit the sending cf New Zealand potatoes to Australia, daring June, July, and Aufost, *' was a motion carried at a meeting «rf Canterbury potato growers, held «u Saturday murning, Mr W. J. Walter presiding. Tae chairman said the price of potatoes in Australia was £l7 p«r ten. It '.'ould be of benefit to New Zealand farmers if they could get their produce adnutted to Australia. The local priee was M In tl<l per ton. It was almost certain that them would be an over •uppiy of potatoes this year. He

had b««u nuipriint to hoc the i* tato crop* in Auckland. After what he had tttsn 1m was of the opinion that potatoes could be grown in the province. In Tasmania the crops had been seriously affected hy the floods. There was vary little di»ea*K in the New Zealand potato*** this year and he coald see no reason why they should not be able to send them to Australia. He was satisfled that the Hon. Mr Forbes would assivt potato-growers in the direction detired.

Mr W. J. McEvcdy said that the Gov-t-rnincnt wa* talking about putting more mem on tho laud, but it was useless to do so aniens a market was available to them. H<) thought that New Zealand Mi badly treated by Australia, and that some retaliation should be made against that country. He would, for like to ace New Zealand buy gotd» from Hotith Africa, California, or €*•€ where, if Australia continued to treat Mew Zealand an it was doing. He understood that six months ago New Zealand was about £600,000 on the wrong side of the ledger bo far as trade wa« concerned, with that country. Mi D. Jones, M.P., said the Australlan Government was determined that New Zealand potatoes should not enter Australia. It did not matter whether Xtw Zealand potatoes were diseased or not—Australia would not have them. As a matter of fact Australian potatoes wore more diseased than those grown in the Dominion, lie did not think that there would be any chance of New Zealand potatoes being admitted to Australia until the consumers there demanded that such should be done.

Mr H. S. 8. Kyle, M.P., said the growers could count on hia support in the matter. He was interested in the proposal because of the 21,000 acres upon which potatoes were grown in the Dominion, no fewer than 13,000 acres wire situated In hia constituency. Mr ft. W. Hawke, M.P., said that in tli* interests of the growers it waa necessary to send their produce abroad. "'here waa too small a population in the Do mi ii ion to consume all the potatoes that could bii grown here. He thought that u committee should be set up to urge the Government to look into the tuitttion of ascertaining what new mar&ii could >■« found abroad for New /•mland potatoes. Mr Fisher laid he waa sure that it «-«.» not die to blight that New Zea:*nd potato*-* were excluded from Australia, becius* blight existed in Aostrilian potatoes aa it waa. Mr MeKvedy said that Auckland did rot want New Zealand potatoes sent to *nitralia, because it wanted the priee ! »pt il»wu t» a low level. He thought ti.at by judicious advertising in the newspaper* of Australia the people over there could be induced to demand New /.eft la nil |i'>tatoe«. Mr It." M.-Oillivray, officer-in-charge of the Kiol.N Division of the Agricultural Department, C'hristchurch, stated that reentry an endeavour had been madfl t» K«t Australia to agree to the i( dmi-wion of New Zealand potatoes, but the rci|iit-it l»:id been turned down flat. Il'i did not think for one moment that powdery » f 'ab in New Zealand potatoes i -iterod' in to lh« question at all, as the hw:»H.- had little effect on the keep- :,- (ujaliti.-s «f tubers. The Australian iu"thc «tr.-et wanted to see New Zeaittid potato.-* admitted, but the growers t ;! er.i w«re strenuously opposed to any n.i-'U proposal. Ih.. .-hiirman suggested that as there . u*a» «.v.-r supply of potatoes m New 7 alar.daiid an under-suppry in Australia . endemunr should be made to get the ■ . <>ral i;»v.-rnmeiit to agree to the ad,i , wn of New Zealand potatoes for •hia year only. He had seen letters Mem Australian merchants suggesting • '..at N.m Zealand growers should movo ... the direction of urging the Australian «>.,ver..!nent to »*-» l* «« w Z « aland 1 The°*motion referred to was then put M the meeting and carried unanlimou. ly. Mews H. fchesmar, W. K*\\j,*.J> Walter. ii- I-»»t. T - Morton, and W. i.uthrie were appointed an executive to ■..ok after the interests of the growers.

MONEY ON ADVERTISING.

POWER OP THE PRESS<»auv ou* own cobbb»os»b»*.) LONDON. March 14••Ton bom «» the newspaper." •»"* **• William V.nu, of cough cure faine, Then he paid » remarkable tribute to »ntn iw •":",_,„,. advertisements tiw power trf newspaper aave»* at a luncheon ui London. nm% without »ny capital, but, by l» f , «,l«ertisinit, lie built up u-iD of auv«.r*■■"*> „_._,.. that ,'fter 30 }■««" »• wa » •P en(l,ng JK3-21.WX) a year on M™*"*! I *.* sum l»rictic»Uy BO per cent, of that sum, h. Mid. w« .pent in daily and vmUj newspapers, bec» u »* he always nut the Press frst u, tne matter of atlvertwmg. "It « «*g« the newspaper, that you can «pW» the details of your goods, ho aildea. SMALL STEAMER SOLD TO N.Z. FIRM. tumtwi raw* isnoeiA-noK —si wjcctbio TBLBOBfcMI-OOWBroHT-) SYDNEY, May •*• Thf small coastal steamer Coolebar, of 4»7 tons, has been sold to the Holm .Shipping Company, of Wanganui, for •errio* in the New Zealand coastal vrad*.— • Australian Press Association. REDUCED C.P.R. FREIGHTS ON GRAIN. tixirao t*%** *ssocutw..'--Bt sutcraic TiUlUttAJ'lt- OOPTBIOirt.) JORONTO. May 3Mr E. W. Hefttty, president of the Canadian Panne Railway, stated that a reduction of freight rates on grain from Rtiffulti to American Atlantic port* was to lie met by a reduction of raiea on grain between western producing point* and Canadian ports.—A us- • «Jiae iv«s» Association.

EXPORT OF EGGS. AN INTENSIVE CAMPAIGN. -CO-OPERATION URGED. The question of the export of poultry produoa for the coming season was given close consideration by the shareholders of the Canterbury Co-op. Poultry Producers, Ltd., on Saturday evening, when the half-yearly meeting of the company was held. Opinions were expressed by shareholders that poultry produce associations, particularly in the North Island, were not co-operating closely enough in the matter of exporting.

Mr A. T. Smith, who initiated the [discussion when speaking to the motion i for the adoption of the half-yearly report, said that for the producers to make a success of their exporting ven ttires, there must be no rival factions among them. A strong united organisation alone could make exporting a success, and only by the closest cooperation would the producers be enabled to carry any weight. It was not fair to those who were fighting to strengthen the export trade during the flush season for one or two malcontents I to exploit the local market, while others were building up the trade overseas. "Is Exporting Worth While?" Mr A. Kent said he was not at all sure that the exporting of eggs on the scale it was proposed was the best thing for New Zealand producers. In his opinion, the period of exporting (two to three months) was far too short for it to be a paying proposition. If the production were doubled or trebled, as it would be if the hopes of the exporters were realised during the coming summer, there would be a glut on the local market immediately the exporting period terminated. To his mind, the export season should be increased, in some way or another, to five months. Unless the season were increased and the cost of sending the eggs away were reduced, he did not think that the proposed intensive exporting would pay. He would urge that the Government should not be asked to subsidise the exporting of eggs. The chairman (Mr E. J. Ross): "Every word you say is quite true, Mr Kent, but do you think that the directors of this company have not given these very matters consideration time and time again?" The weakness was that the exporting concerns were not closely enough combined, he explained. Some were loafing on those that were doing the spade-work. It would be no use to give up the exporting now. If they did, the outside factors would naturally suffer severely, but, s?aid Mr Ross, "it was not much fun for Samson when he pulled the building down." A Warning. " "I would like them to be given a season's warning that unless the -noncontributors co-operate with other exporters, the export of eggs would cease," said Mr Ross. "Then only the local market would be open for trade. It might lejwl them to the realisation of the benefit* to be derived from exporting, but I doubt it." Mr Kent; What "guarantee have we that the Government will not cease to subsidise the export of eggs? Something drastic will hare to be done. If the Government are again called upon to make up such a loss as they were last year, we may be let down badly. In reply to a shareholder, the secretary, Mr G. H. Bradford, said that the question of export to Canada had been rejected, as it would be unfair to export eggs to Canada, duty-free, while there was a duty on Canadian eggs imported to New Zealanu. "Germany *"•• *>« our b* B * market in the near future," said the chairman. "There are great possibilities there which are being realised at present by Danish producers. Egg products are in increasing demand for manufacturing purpose*, and are being turned to new uses by the teeming population of Germany." ~ . Mr R. W. Hawke, M.P., said the producers had only two alternatives in their present policy of exporting. They must go forward or stagnate. They had put their hands to the plough and they should press forward with their exporting policy. With the experience of a few years, the producers would find new and improved methods which would stabilise and reinforce the industry in the Dominion.

The Government Subsidy. The Government subsidy they were receiving, said Mr Hawke, must not be considered in the light of a charity. All young industries had been helped by the Government, and it was not fair to expect a young and struggling industry to do all its own spade-work. The sum of £32,000 had come into New Zealand from overseas as a direct result of the egg export last year, and New Zealanders would feel that this was an industry deserving of the fullest support and assistance. "We are doing the right thing, said Mr Hawke, '"and we have reached the stage where we cannot help developing, provided this Co-operative Association, which is the backbone of the industry in New Zealand, is in the hands of sane and progressive business men. I don't think, that, with the increasing market, we will ever be over-supplied." Mr Bradford said that the directors had in hand arrangements to enable the export season to be extended over a period of five months. The main trouble was that the North Island would not organise. Last season 170,000 eggs were exported from the South Island, and only 24,000 from the North Island. Mr A. T. Smith: Well cut them out. Organise the South Island for all vou are worth and avail yourselves of the best part of the subsidy. On the motion of Mr Smith, seconded by Mr Kent, it was decided to recommend to the directors of the company that their energies be chiefly centred towards organising producers in the South Island for the export of eggs. 'But that is just what the North Islanders want," said Mr J. Liggins. "While others are exporting, they will get the local market to themselves." Mr W. E. Green: They did that last year, 'and got a thrashing. They did not obtain such good prices as we did. SCOTTISH PRODUCE MARKET. DOMINIONS' CLAIMS URGED. (tnntSD russ msociatiok—bt kjctsic TBL33&APH -COFTMOHT.) (Received May sth, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 4. Sir James Parr, New Zealand High Commissioner, opened the Scottish Grocers' Federation show at Edinburgh. Sir James urged that if Sootland could not supply local requirements, then preference should be given to Empire produce.—Australian Press Association, United Service;