CONTROL OF HIDES

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23323, 8 May 1941, Page 4

CONTROL OF HIDES

ANNUAL MEETING OF COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN’S REVIEW I (PA.) WELLINGTON, May 7. The first annual meeting of the Hides Committee, set up under the Emergency Regulations, 1940, to equalise the export and standard domestic price of lides, was held in Wellington to-day, the chairman, Mr A. P. O’Shea, presiding. . "The number of hides and calf skins which have come under review in the transactions recorded in the office is just on 1,000.000. The cost of administering the scheme is slightly less than l-3d a hide, which means less than l-100d per lb,” said Mr O’Shea. That we have not asked too much money from the owners of hides ir demonstrated by the balance standing to our credit at the end of the year, ,£153 lis lOd. "The work of this committee is very little known, which indicates that we have done our job unobtrusively and efficiently. I have been gratified at the attitude of members of the committee. There has been a spirit of forebearance and readiness to reconcile conflicting interests which might well be an object lesson to the rest .of the Dominion. In almost all cases 'our decisions have been unanimous. There have been one or two instances where people have tried to beat the scheme, but these have been very few, and in most cases there has been evidence of a real desire to make the committee function. I believe that one reason' for this is that the work of the committee is entirely voluntary, and members have fully responded for the sake of the work itself, not because of any reward attaching to it. . ~ . . “In future we will probably have to reconcile widely divergent viewpoints, but if the same spirit prevails as previously, I do not believe that there will be any trouble. There has been little interference with ordinary trading conditions, which will be of material advantage to the Dominion when the war ends, for exporters have had their overseas connexions preserved.* * Mr O’Shea praised the work of the secretary. Mr L. McCartney, and then concluded: “While in another capacity I have had many differences of opinion with Mr Nash, he has given us every assistance, and'as, chairman of the Hides Committee. I appreciate very much indeed his help to us.’’ COMPANY news BYCROFT, LTD. (P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 7.' Bycroft. Ltd., has declared a final dividend of 4 per cent., payable on May 15. DALGETYS (P.A.) ' WELLINGTON. May 7. Dalgety and Company, Ltd., has declared an interim dividend of 3s a share, less British Income tax, payable on or after May 27. WESTPORT COAL (P.A.) DUNEDIN. May 7. The directors of the Westport Coal Company, Ltd., have declared an interim dividend of fid a share, payable on May 30. MINING REPORTS Blackwater Mines—The return for April was as follows: Crushed 2150 tons, yielding 1017 fine ounces of gold from all sources, including clean-up of old mill. The value, taking gold at 168s a fine ounce, was £8543. Working expenses, not including ordinary or war duty, were £6730: development expenditure was £245, and capital expenditure £358. The low returns are due to a labour dispute.