PREMIER AT HOME

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 152, 24 December 1926, Page 5

PREMIER AT HOME

DAIRY ARBITRATOR

VISIT TO SCOTLAND AND STAFFORDSHIRE.

(From Our Own Corrnpondtnt) LONDON, 16th November

The most important business the New Zealand Prime Minister has been engaged in outside the work of the Imperial Conference has been in connection with the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board. It is extremely fortunate that Mr. Coates is in London at ths \ present time, for it has been no secret that the situation has been a very serious one. Members of the dairy trade ] have greatly resented some of the terms of the board's memorandum, and some of the leading traders had openly avowed that' they would not be bothered with New Zealand butter in the future. On three occasions Mr. Coates has met representatives of the importers', the wholesale trade, multiple shops, and retailers. On the last two occasions members of the board in London and their European manager were present, the object being to endeavour to smooth out the difficulties and arrive at some modus operand! which would be satisfactory to all concerned. Matters have gone so far forward that it now rests with the board to consider the suggestions made by the representatives of the trade. Before the arrival of Mr. Coates antagonism against the board had been very severe, but it was natural that the members of the trade should have in mind their future relations with the board and refrain from coming out into the open. No one was in the position to act as arbitrator, and for this reason the Prime Minister's presence hero was peculiarly opportune. As a result of these meetings it is probable-, that some of the more revolutionary and distasteful clauses in the memorandum will be cut out. VISIT TO EDINBURGH. Mr. Coates's time will bo very fully occupied during the next month. Apart from Conference work his engagements are numerous. Next Saturday he will have an opportunity of seeing the Maoris play football against the Blackheath Club at Blackheath. From there he goes straight on to Chequers, as the guest of the Prime Minister for tho week-end. On Monday, 22nd November, he will attend a private luncheon with the directors of the Bank of New Zealand, when he will meet a number of other prominent city meu. He will be present at the dinner given by the Eoyal Institute of British Architects on Tuesday, 23rd November, and at 11 o'clock that night he will entrain with his party for Edinburgh. He there will receive the Freedom of the City, and at a university ceremony he will have conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Law. Entraining next morning the Prime Minister will go on to Glasgow; where he will take the opportunity of inspect-' ing some of the large engineering works. He will attend a reception given by tho Glasgow University in the afternoon, and that evening will entraiii for London again. On the JFriday, 26th November, he will be present at the dinner of the Empire Parliamen • tary Association in the House of Lords. THE SECOND TOUR. Another journey to the north will begin on Monday, 29th November. Tha first place of call will be Stoke-on-Tront, where Mr. Coates will receive the Freedom of the City, and visit some of the pottery works. A luncheon will be given by the North oi! Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce and the Manufacturers' Federation. That night he will proceed to Sheffield, and on Tuesday, 30th November, he will inspect Messrs. Hadfield's works and Messrs. Tickers, and attend a luncheon given by the Chamber of Commerce and other local .bodies. In the afternoon ho is to receive the Freedom of the City,' and afterwards will visit some of tho cutlery works. i On Wednesday, Ist December, Mr. Coates and his party will be in Kidderminster, where he also receives the Freedom. There will be a luncheon given by the Corporation, and visits I will be paid to the carpet factories. From Kidderminster Mr. Coates is to go on to Hereford, which was hi 3 father's home, and where his uncle still lives.

Later on Mr. Coates is to receive an honorary degree from Cambridge University, and then he will ■ visit the battlefields and the New Zealand memorials in France and Belgium. 85, Fleet street.