A BRIGHT FUTURE

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19667, 10 July 1929, Page 12

A BRIGHT FUTURE

N.Z.'S DAIRY PRODUCE TRADE. LONDON AGENT'S VIEWS. A bright future for the dairy industry of the Dominion is forecasted by Mr C. J. Pollard, who arrived in Christchurch last night from Blenheim. Mr Pollard is a partner in the firm of Samuel Page and Son, London Bridge, selling agents in the United Kingdom for Dalgety and Co., Ltd., for New Zealand butter and cheese. He was chairman of the conference between the New Zealand Control Board in London at the time of its establishment and the London-New Zealand Dairy Produce Importers' Association, and is now in his fourth year as chairman of the Lon- [ don Provision Importers' Association. "My firm has been selling New Zealand butter and cheese since its first shipment to the United Kingdom," said Mr Pollard to a representative of The Pkes3 last night, "and consequently I am particularly interested in the conditions of the production in New Zealand. I have come over with the definite idea of visiting all the principal butter and cheese factories, with the idea of exchanging views with the directors and talking with farmers and suppliers, so that I may gain all the information possible with regard to questions affecting the industry from the point of view of the people of the Dominion. In that way I shall return to London more effective in the handling of produce than without such first-hand information. "I, on my part, also hope that from my intimate knowledge of marketing conditions in London I may be able to answer questions and give information on points regarding the handling of dairy produce in London. I have visited all the principal factories in the North Island (between 40 and 50), and I hope to do the same in the South Island. I have found factory managers and directorates very friendly, and ready to talk over frankly both their own problems in regard to production and shipment to London, and also the views I have expressed with regard to the conditions of selling New Zealand produce in the United Kingdom, This interchange of ideas must, I think, be useful to me, and I think also will be of some service to those with whom I have talked.

"The factories here have been interested in the emphasis I have put on facts, perhaps already known to them, regarding the tremendous increase in the -export ef dairy produce to the United Kingdom. I illustrated this great expansion by drawing their attention to the comparative figures of the years 1928 and 1913. I chose the latter because it was free from any abnormal circumstances arising from the war. The total export of New Zealand butter in 1928 shows an increase of 500 per cent, against that of 1913, and of cheese, taking the same two years, of 300 per cent. These are surely striking figures, as they indicate a rate of increase not obtained by any other country shipping to England, and notwithstanding this remarkable development, it appears clear to me from what I have seen here that a still further advance will be made. "Everywhere I have observed the keenest desire to go ahead, and the natural advantages in New Zealand are so good that it is certain that for some time to come there will continue to be an ever-growing export of butter and cheese. So far as butter is concerned, New Zealand is second on the list of countries exporting to the United Kingdom, Denmark being first, but in cheese New Zealand is first. Taking the year 1928. there is no country shipping to the United Kingdom any quantity approaching that obtained from the Dominion. These facts must be eminently satisfactory to the Dominion and the" Old Country." Asked if he thought that the change of Government in Britain would make any difference to the Dominion's trade with the Old Country, Mr Pollard said that he did not think so, for the reason that the Labour Government was as intensively Free-Trade as any other Party, and would continue to give encouragement to the marketing of Empire products. New Zealand's greatest competitors were Denmark for butter and Canada for cheese. The imports from Argentina were small in comparison with those from New Zealand. There was no danger of the saturation point being reached so far as New Zealand dairy produce was concerned, and while Canada had shipped less cheese in 1928 than in 191S, Denmark's increase of butter had been only 50 per cent., as compared with the figures he had | quoted for New Zealand. Yesterday, Mr Pollard, who is accompanied by his wife, inspected factories in the Blenheim and Kaikoura districts, and to-day wilj commence to visit factories in the vicinity of Christchurch, going south on Friday. As a Londoner, whose daily business movements were within three miles of the London Provision Exchange, he said it '..-as a great change for him to travel as he had done yesterday, 224 miles and visit factories on the way, to say nothing of the five miles they had travelled in a circle in endeavouring to avoid the reconstruction work on the main highway near Woodend. Both Mrs Pollard nnd himself had been struck with the variety of the scenery coming down the coast to Christchurch.

SUN INSURANCE OFFICE. The report of the Sun Insurance Office, Limited, for 1928, shows that in the fire department the net premiums amounted to £2,640,765, as compared with £2,590,899 in the previous year. The net losses paid and outstanding, including contributions to fire brigades, were £1,205,832, against £1,199,415 in 1927. The credit balance of £367,842, which includes net interest of £85,933, has been transferred to profit and loss. The net premiums in the personal accident account increased by £4421 to £41,712. The losses paid and outstanding were £19,517. The credit balance of £4200, which includes interest of £1179, has been transferred to profit and loss. In the employers' liability department the net premiums were £147,875, as compared with £153,399 in the previous year. The claims paid and outstanding, were £93,978, as against £90,727 in 1927. The credit balance of £BB3I, which includes interest, £5850, has been transferred to profit and loss. In the burglary and general department the net premiums were £1.080,604, as compared with £939.805 in 1927, and the claims paid and outstanding were £392,571, against £509.677. The credit balance of £52,735, which includes £23,045 interest, has been transferred to profit and loss. The net premiums in the marine account totalled £389.861, as compared with £370,295. The net losses paid and outstanding were £321.433. The interest of £12,581 is included in the credit balance of £32,581, which has been transferred to profit' and loss. The income from investments amounted to £243,332, and the funds of the office aggregate £6,445,178. A SUCCESSFUL FLOTATION. Metropole .Ltd., a Wellington company with •n authorised capital of £160,000, h3s been successfully floated. The company' intends to engage in real estate business, its immediate purpose being the acquisition of central properties m the heart of the capital c : tv and their subsequent development. The prospectus forecasts the raising of a £IOO,OOO et 6 per cent.., and the issue of secnn-1 m«A gage debenture stock at 7J p er eenU