DESIRE FOR TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 141, 18 December 1928, Page 12

DESIRE FOR TRADE

I PORT OF LIVERPOOL CLAIM AS A CENTRE (From "Tho Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 19th October. When, the High Commissioner, Sir James Parr, was visiting tho Liverpool Provision Exchange under the guidance of leading commercial men on 11th October, he was officially received by tho president, Mr. Charles C. Pearson, who informed him that the provision merchants of Liverpool were desirous of bringing about not only more direct but regular shipments from New Zealand. It was realised, said Mr. Pearson, that London had a very strong financial "pull," but Liverpool equally "had the men and the distributive machinery." The previous day the New Zealand Dairy Board's representative (Mr. Davis) had met them and; had discussed various features of the subjects. Tho meeting had been very satisfactory. As a matter of fact, there had been more' progress in the last few months than there had been in several years. "We cannot fill the steamers from New Zealand," ho said, "but we can do a reasonable proportion of this, and will endeavour to give every steamer a maximum freight. We arc trying to get the co-operation of the other trades. It is astonishing to think that no New Zealand wool is sold in Liverpool." He added that they wanted the co-operation of the hide and fruit trades also. Enormous quantities of fruit were brought there from London which added greatly to the freight charges, the shipper getting that much less for his fruit. Mr. Pearson instanced, also, delays that had taken place in the arrival at Liverpool of boats from New Zealand after they had been scheduled for given dates. Australian boats arrived fairly well up to schedule, but the New Zealand vessels did not. This meant that the provision people, if they worked up New Zealand inquiries, were driven to bringing the Dominion's produce from London by rail, which added to the cost, and to the retail prices. Ho asked Sir James Parr to use his influence with the Government and controlling interests in the direction indicated. Liverpool's landing charges wero lower than London's —on butter they were 30s per ton. Mr. L. A. P. Warner, manager of the Mersey Dock and Harbour Board, said it was hoped that arrangements would eventually be made whereby New Zealand vessels would visit Liverpool and then go on to Glasgow. Mr. M'Kettrick, vice-president of the Exchange, stressed tho point that uniformity and continuity of direct supply was what was wanted, particularly of butter and cheese, if they were to work up' retail trade there. This brief conference was held in the committee room of the Exchange. At its conclusion, the president asked the High Commissioner to address tho members of tho Exchange, who were then operating in the "ring." An adjournment was consequently made to the Exchange Hall. "Gentlemen," said the president, introducing Sir James Parr to tho members of the Exchange, "I have just come from the Lord Mayor's luncheon, and I have had the privilege of hearing from the New Zealand High Commissioner one of the best speeches I have ever listened to on Empire trading. It was a model speech on this great subject, and I. have asked him to say a few words to you—particularly as much of what he said so far as New Zealand is concerned, referred to butter and cheese." (Applause.) < SIE JAMES PARR'S SPEECH. The High Commissioner: "There is no body of men in Liverpool I would rather meet in a business way than the members of this Provision Exchange. Your goodwill is- indeed something I value." (Applause.) "Your co-opera-tion is necessary if New Zealand is to do big business here. The farm products of New Zealand were the Dominion 's chief source of wealth.. Her output was increasing rapidly. Last financial year period, for instance, the butter output alone showed an advance over the previous year of over 33 per cent., an unprecedented increase. The problem before New Zealand, therefore, was to obtain tho best markets possible for her increasing output—in all forms of produce. As to the quality of that produce he need not say anything except that it was undoubtedly the very best. (Applause.) Why, therefore, do you not buy the best, especially when it comes from your own people?" Sir James Parr' briefly sketched the conditions under which the cattle and sheep were grazed, how produce was manufactured, and the Government's rigid inspection and grading. He realised that there were difficulties in the way of effecting the changes asked for in shipping and marketing arrangements, but these should not prove insuperable—if the Liverpool merchant? and retailers would push the sale of thG produce in their .area. New Zealand sent to Britain 60 per cent, of the latter's imported dairy supplies, and it did not seem satisfactory that so important a centre as Liverpool received only 10 per cent, of this direct. Geographically, Liverpool was entitled to more. He would report their representations to the New Zealand Prime Minister—that, of course, would be a confidential report. But he felt after what he had seen, and the facts of which he had been informed, that there was a good deal in the realm of "practical politics" that could be soon accomplished. Sir James Parr concluded by expressing his pleasure at being able to be present and speak to them. He looked upon them as partners in enterprise of those very hard-working New Zealand farmers —whose working day was rarely less than 12 hours. The next day, before leaving for London, Sir James Parr was taken to tho Fruit Exchange, the largest fruit mart in Great Britain. Hero he addressed 400 members, representing tho wholesale fruit trade of the whole of the Midlands, including Leeds, Birmingham, and Nottingham, who were gathered thoro in the ordinary course of business. The president, in welcoming Sir James Parr, said that the members were very anxious to get more New Zealand fruit, as Liverpool was the natural geographical centre for distributing the New Zealand produce over tho Midlands, from Newcastle downwards. Thoy claimed that it was one of the world's distributing centres for fruit, and he instanced how some New Zealand apples and pears had been shipped from there to Canada last year. They were also selling grapes from Spaiu, lemons from Sicily and Syria, oranges from South Africa, apples from Virginia and British Columbia, pears from Australia and California, and plums from British Columbia. The High Commissioner said he hoped that moro business would bo done ith Liverpool. Last year over a million cases of New Zealand apples had como to Great Britain, but only 40,000 eases had gone to Liverpool direct. The difficulty was to arrange for direct and continuous shipments, but the New Zealand Fruit Board in the Dominion had takcu the matter up, which led him to hope (.hat next year would see double the business done. Ho would make his representations to the New Zealand, Government, and suggest that they heartily co-oporato in this movement to get more New Zealand produce into tho Midlands via Liverpool.