THE LONDON AGENCY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 62, 15 March 1927, Page 12

THE LONDON AGENCY

MR. PATERSON'S ATTITUDE

COMMENT BY MR. COATES

Mr. Grounds's reference to the divided counsels of the London agency at the time the Prime Minister was in London; the dissension created by the Government representative on the agency, "with his definite opposition to the instructions of the board ■ to apply its policy"; and the statement that the hope of influencing the Government definitely invited an intensification of trade opposition; was briefly commented on last night by Mr. Coates.

"I think one can assume," said the Prime Minister, "that Mr. Faterson,

in his capacity as Government representative on the London Agency, rightly or wrongly foresaw what he considered a danger that fhe board was likely to be faced with. I take it from his own observations concerning the almost complete hostility on the part of the trade to any 'system of price-fixing, that at the eleventh hour he very candidly stated the position as he saw it, and asked the board to reconsider its definite policy before bringing it into actual operation. The board, in its judgment decided to proceed with its policy as laid down. Since tiiat time I am not aware that Mr has done other than vie his efforts to assist in the sale of '■ New Zealand dairy produce." >:/■'; _"My actions in London," said the i-nme Minister, "which were, in my JnteSN?'™* 1 Wholly at smoothing out diffi eu i tles with the object | bringing about a better feeling and nnSdy^rS;^l^^