THE HIGH COMMISSIONER.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 33, 26 November 1912, Page 5

THE HIGH COMMISSIONER.

Hon. Thos. Mackenzie does not seem to have wasted any time after his arrival iu Loudon, but with characteristic energy he shouldered the burdens of High Coinmissionershir. and straightway commenced activities iu the interests of New Zealand produce. Writing on October 1(5 the London correspondent of the New Zealand Associated Press says of the High Commissioner that, '' considering he has only been in England a week, he has carried through a very considerable programme.'' The voyage to England gave Mr Mackenzie several opportunities of making inquiries on behalf of IS'ew Zealand producers, and they seem to promise some result. At Montevideo, for instance, he made some investigations to ascertain what opportunities there are for New Zealand fruit. He found that there was a very real desire in Montevideo for good fruit such as New Zealand can supply, and was told incidentally that there was probably a market there for our butter. On these points he had been promised some further information.

At Gibraltar, again, where the Kaikoura put in to discharge some New Zealand frozen meat for the use of the troops, Mr Mackenzie was shown over the cold storage chambers, He discussed the prospects of a larger trade in New Zealand meat for the Gibraltar garrisons.

Mr Mackenzie visited the London dockyards a few days after his arrival to inspect the facilities for the handling of New Zealand produce. The meat was handled quite satisfactorily in the beats and opened out in good condition, but the work at the chutes, in sending the carcases to the travelling tables, was not satisfactory, and the produce was not protected from the weather. He said the conditions had not improved during the past 14 years as far as treatment over the chutes was concerned. He was going to see into this matter, as it was imperative that something should be done at once.