VALUE WANTED

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 7, 8 July 1922, Page 7

VALUE WANTED

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE

NEED POR EARLIER ADVICE.

Strong .comment on the lack of good market advice from the office of the High Commissioner, was made by Mr. R. Masters (Stratford) in tho House of Representatives last night. "We spend £34,000 in salaries alone in the High Commissioner's office," he said, "and we have a right, the farmers of this country have a right, to the very best service from that office, but, they are not getting it." The Hon. W, Npsworthyj "How do you know?"

. Mr. MasteTg: "I know they are not, and you know it."

Mr. Nosworthy:, "I don't." Mr. Masters: "Then you ought to. The High Commissioner," he added, "was"getting-his £2000 a year, and no one begrudged- it, but they did want service for it. We are not getting the information we should in regard to our primary produce. Only last March, there was an instance of what I mean. Private dealers in this Dominion got information in regard to the butter position a,t Home. It was cabled out here, and they began to operate on the market. They got around and purchased right and left. . To my mind, there should be in .the High Commissioner's office an expert. 1 understand that the man in charge of the commercial side, is; a veterinary surgeon. That is like putting a lawyer in charge of the Board of Trade. The information that comes, out to us is not satisfactory; it is not early enough."

Ml. Masters quoted another instance in which the buyers had more money at the expense of the producers, simply because the producers did not have proper information about the market. The buyers in this instance had cleared £30,000, money which would have been much better used, if it had found its way into the pockets of the farmer and his family. It was the duty of the High Commissioner's office to get into touch with the market, and let the producers know. Butter bought at Is 2d and Is 5d was being sold by the brokers to-day at 228s per cwt. The Prime Minister would surely agree that it was the producer and not the broker who should be getting that profit.

The cudgels on behalf' of the High Commissioner's office were taken up by Mr. E. Newman (Manawatu), who said it was too much to expect the High Commissioner to foresee every rise in the market. ■ It was impossible to forecast the movement of the meat and butter market unless one was absolutely in the trade.