PRODUCE IN LONDON

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 15, 17 July 1929, Page 4

PRODUCE IN LONDON

IMPROVED HANDLING

HAY'S WHARF COMPANY-

(From "The Post's" Representative.) '-•■ LONDON, 3rd May. Most of the great provincial ports of Britain having received visits from the New Zealand High Commissioner, and having placed before1 him their claims for direct shipments of New Zealand produce, it was anticipated that London would claim at least equal privilege. The directors of Hay's Wharf Company, Limited, who had had their application before Sir James Parr for some time, managed on 23rd May to appropriate tho High Commissioner, and a paTty of prominent New Zealand farmers visiting England, for the day, and the censensus of opinion was that the time was very well spent. The Hay's Wharf Company (whichincludes Pickford's Carrying Company and various other subsidiary companies) handles, practically all • the New Zealand butter that cornea to tho Port of London, and two-thirdß of the cheese. Most of the produce from New Zealand comes to London. It was, therefore, of obvious importance that leading men from tho Dominion should accept the opportunity of seeing how the bulk of their country's arrivals—nearly £35,000,000 worth—is handled.

Hay's wharves extend down the right bank of the Thames for several hundred yards below London Bridge. At these wharves aro very extensive cold stores and other stores. The Thames this far up is not deep enough for- tho large vessels to berth at the wharvas. The Hay's Wharf Company, therefore, provides, insulated lighters to bring up the produce from the ships to their cold stores.

Sir "James Parr was accompanied by the Hon. A. D. M'Leod, Messrs. W. D. Lysnar, M.P., E. S. Porsyth, E. P. Lee, H. E. Davis, H. E. Stephens, H. B. Johnstone, H. J. Topliss, J. A. M'Dougall, H.. W. Gilson, K. Hilligan, W. T. Eitchie, E. G. Skeates, F. W. Wilson, Colonel Headley, and other New Zealanders. They were received by Mr. J. E. Humpherys and Admiral' Sir Aubrey Smith, directors of Hay's Wharf, and a number of officials, and were first shown the Mataroa discharging butter, cheese, and mutton into lighters. A pleasant ten-mile run up the river in a tug followed, and luncheon at the company's offices.

GOVERNMENT AND PRODUCERS,

Mr. Humpherys, in a brief speech, said that his co-directors and himself were very glad to have the opportunity of showing Sir James Parr and his Dominion friends what the company Was doing, to handle tho New Zealrend business.. All ho would say was: "If there ig. ahything moro we cau do- to uiake things,.;.better still and you will tell us), we will bo pleased to uo it, if wo are sib.lciv (Applause.) There is no Government in the world that links itself with the interests ji its producers and their produce as New Zealand does.' With the exception of the Australian Producers' Board no other country does anything at all." (Applause.)

Sir James Parr, on , behalf of his fellow-countrymen aud himself, thanked the Hay's Wharf Company for the opportunity provided of seeing the way New Zealand produce was handled. It must be remembered that nearly 35 million pounds' worth of produvo came over these wharves from Now Zealand each year, and that was a very big and significant figure. Few- probably realised the tremendous increase iv New Znaland exports iv the last few yours. Her butter and cheese exports last financial year reached a value of nearly 23 millions sterling, iind New Zealand now lend Denmark, her most, formidably competitor as :t supplier of butter, and cu'oese to Britain. (Applause.) "While New Zealand bought from Great Britain-manufactures of a value of over 21 millions sterling, Denmark took only some eight or nine millions worth. Britain should- favour tho countries which bought tiiost British goods. It was very pleasing- to observe the improvements .that had takon place in tho transport facilities from the ships • sides to the stores on tho Thames. The barges were .now- insulated, and the proper .- .temporaturo for tho frozen goods was preserved right through to tho stores. It had been a personal pleasure to him to accept the invitation of the company, and sco how New Zealand goods were handled, and ho folt sure, too, that his follow New Zealanders would be able to inform their colleagues when they returned to tho .Dominion of- all they had seen. (Applaustt.)

Tho Hon. A. D. M'Leod thanked tho directors of tho company for the opportunities afforded him and tho other New Zealanders of seeing tho passage of tho produce from the ship to tho stores. In past years the Tliamos had been the Gateway of England, through which the voyagers had sailed who had founded tho Empire. This Gateway must bo kept open always to tho trade which en mo from the Empire to-day. H« was vitally interested in all mattors concerning tho produce of tho Dominion. , .

OLD EATvDAYS RECALLED. After inspection- of the cold storage, the High Commissioner again oxpresaed thanks for his party. _Mr. Lysnar asked permission, as a New Zealand producer, also to thank the directors for their courtesy in showing them all there was to bo seen. The visit had been a very instructive cine and had disclosed a very creditable condition of affairs so far as tho handling of the New Zealand produce was concerned. He had been over the same ground, virtually, in. 1910, when ho had ma do exhaustive investigation. On that occasion he had found a very different state of affairs. The barces were all of wood, and there- was not a sound ono. amongst them. He had complained about this to the Port of London Authorities, and he claimed that as a result of his complaints the authorities had agreed to spend 14 millions sterling in bringing these up-to-date, provided New Zealand would continue to give tho Port its business. - Mr Lysnar said' he had addressed various ;^T? rS/ gatherinSs "» New Zealand, .md had secured _a very large measure of co-operation m this direction. It was gratifying now to see such a diflerent..state of affairs. As Mr. Hunipnerys had pointed, out, there wore now no wooden barges at all on tho work: •ill were of iron and all wero insulated