TRADE TALK

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 152, 29 June 1935, Page 16

TRADE TALK

A LONDON LUNCHEON "MINISTERS , HONOURED EINE TRIBUTES PAID (From "The Post's" Representative.) ° 7 LONDON, June 8. About 380 people, both men and women, attended the luncheon at the Savoy Hotel given by the New Zealand Society in honour of the Prime Minister (Mr. Forbes) and Mr. Coates. Sir James Parr, as president of the society; was in the chair. Others at the principal table, were Mrs. Forbes, Mrs., Coates, the Earl and Countess of Liverpool, Lord and Lady Hailsham, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Elliot, Lord and Lady Hewart, Lord and Lady Balfour of Burleigh, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Runciman, General Sir Alexander and Lady Godley, General Sir lan Hamilton, General Sir Charles Fergusson, Sir Frederick and Lady Leith-Ross, Sir Thomas and Lady Wilford, the Hon. G; Howard and Mrs. Ferguson, Sir Edward and Lady Harding. Sir Harold Beauchamp, Lady Buckleton, Sir Cecil and Lady Leys, Rear-Admiral and Mrs. Arthur. Bromley, Mr. and-Mrs. Thomas s Duncan, and Mr. H. G. Dickie. Among those"who had special tables and their own guests were Mr. R. S. Forsyth, Mr..H.E..Davis. s Mr. T, B Ching, Lieut-Colonel E. ff. W. Lascelles.i Colonel J., McNaughtan Christie, Mr. H. Carron-Scrimgeour, Mr. H. H. Brashier, Captain H. J. F. Mills, Captain D. P. Simson, Mr., Francis Deverell, Mr. Hal Williams, Mr. Ranald J. Harvey, Mi-. H. W. Castle, and Mr. Eric Fitter. . . 7 The Rt.:Hori. Walter Elliot (Minister of Agriculture) was to have proposed the toast, of, "New Zealand" at the end of the programme, but he was due to answer questions at the House of Commons, and he spoke after the loyal toast bad been honoured. ,' The New Zealand nation, said Mtv Elliot, had won its spurs, both in peace and in war. The great achievements of the' New Zealand soldiers would never, be. forgotten. At times like these'it was. necessary to link up the comradeship acquired in war—the comradeship of men who would pull together even in; their last sufferings. Now'they had the task of co-operating in peace, a co-operation which was as necessary' as the co-operation in war. The tasks of war were temporary; the tasks of peace were eternal. The difference between a satisfactory solution of the problems of peace and of war was- -th^ difference between a tern--porary -achievement and one which would last for all time. INCREASING CONSUMPTION. . For a British Minister of Agriculture' to be atia New Zealand luncheon at •which New Zealand lamb was being served reminded him of the episode of Daniel in the lions', den. But he had no sympathy with Daniel. The lions wanted-more meat, • and they complained about, the quality that had been served, to them." It was quite' otherwise in the-, cisc of the British consumers. The1 finest quality of butter and lamb came from New Zealand, but there was . moire .of,it, than was required. Great Britain' w^is riot merely interested in production; ;but-to consumption! Un-less-they could maintain and increase the/standard of living of the Western peoples and. the. people who lived in these islands they rwould not achieve the- constantly rising standard of consumption' : necessary to deal with the problems >'~of .; production facing the 'Eritish'.Empirev.'' '- ,' ' ;;r The1 British authorities had been in . conversation^with Mr. Forbes, and the ' -■' oltier; V.Domini'bn" representatives, anfl they had had to-begin to work out what would, require many years to ful-, fll. :-jh spite of all the difficulties some-thing-had already been: done. Two or three- :years agp the. consumption of ■.butter : was,lslb per head; today it was •251b per, head. -Unfortunately, the consumption of,'beef had decreased. A . year or'two ago it was 671b per head; today-it,was only ,601b per head. machinery must be .found, to " relieve' Governments of the details of. these' problems.. The; best people _to '■ run the machinery were those in industryl and xtrade. The political prob-iems'-of the: Empire had, been brought very far forward, but those of econo-1 mic co-operation would confront Em- , pite statesmen.for the next ten years. A MOVING EXPERIENCE. . Sir James Parr, in proposing the toast of ".Our Guests," referred to the time when the MaSsey party tried to dislodge' Mr': Forbes from his con"stituency: . ; . - , , ' "He:,sat, stubbornly and said No, said the High Commissioner. "That was'the'essence of his life. He is slow to ,make up his mind, but once he makes it up nothing can shift George Forbes from.that position." The people of New .Zealand looked upon their Prime Minister as an honest, straightforward man, .ready to do his best for his beloved native country. Mr. Forbes had been .through all the Jubilee ' festivities .and had/ had the most moving experiences of his life. "I shall never forget," said Sir James, 1 "going into the presence .of their Majesties: in their private room and • listening to the addresses of the four . Prime Ministers; It. • was then one realised the-solidarity of the great British"'Empire." A? regards Mr. Coates, he: was the author of the new deal in New Zealand: Whether there were • differences of. opinion or not the various measures, there was only one opinion 'about the ■ initiative, the courage,-apd the driving force of Gor-don-Coated no Complaints against mk. ..; . .7./'/>.- -ELLIOT. :; After■: thanking. Sir James-Parr for ' -his;-.; compliments, the New Zealand Society for their hospitality, and ' the distinguished guests for their presence, Mrv'Fofbes1 said that the affairs of New Zealdndhad certainly improved after five-gruelling years. The people had had to bear their burdens and make their sacrifices, but it was encouraging after what they had gone through to hedr them, say: "You have had a diffl- .<■■ cult task,-and you have done your best for the.country.. You have been in the position of responsibility,' and you have had;to do"thing's, and we will back you •'■ tip,"-."" :'•'■.' ■-■■ ' . ' Mr. Forbes complimented the High Commissioner on his new honour. The ■ delegation had been brought into very close contact with iSir James Parr with regard to the business he carried on 'in ■': counrty, and - they knew 'the :'Stery great value of/his services. They -appreciated very-much the recognition -'that''Bad' been given to them. Refer- • ring to the trade discussions, the Prime ■'.'Minister said: "We have had a great -Seal to do .with Mr. Elliot. We have 'found, right through any discussions we have held, that he has been scrupulously fair. We recognise the difficulties,: of his' task, and in the circumstances, so far as New Zealand is concerned/ we have ho complaints to make, whatever." The.-matter of over-supply to this country, said Mr. Forbes, . had been eased to'some extent by New Zealand. The latest figlires he had showed that the total exports from the Dominion ■ in; the first four months of the year , were valued at £ 19,556,000, as compared with £23,943,000 for the corresponding months of 1934. The imports were £ 11,337,000, as compared with £.9Msfioo for the lour months of last t/'Hit. ■'" Thus theythad been able to de-

crease their exports, which should be for the benefit of Great Britain, and they had been able to increase their imports. DEVELOPMENT OF TRADE. Mr. Coates also quoted illuminating figures in his reply, showing that trade with the Dominions had increased much more than trade with foreign countries., Exports to the Dominions in 1932 were valued at £644)00,000. In 1934 they were £87,650.000, giving an increase of £ 22,750,000. Exports to the treaty countries of Russia. Finland. Estonia, Latvia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland, and the Argentine were £48.000,000 in 1932, and in 1934 their value was £56,300.000. giving an increase of only £8,300.000. la replying to the toast of the chairman, Sir Jumes Parr said he had had a letter from Lord Bledisloe expressing his regret, at not being able to be present, but stating that he was rapidly recovering his health, and in a week or two would be about again. The excellent lamb that formed the principal course of the lunch was supplied by the Meat Producers' Board, and the apoles were supplied by the Fruit Board. N DAIRY COMPANIES CO-OPERATIVE PRINCIPLE (From "The Post's" Special Beporter.) PALMERSTON N., This Day. 1 The safeguarding of further development of the co-operative principle was advocated by the National Dairy Conference yesterday afternoon Mr. B. Roberts (Parkvale) said that the explanation of the submission of the suggestion to the conference was the sentiments . expressed at an informal meeting of companies looked upon as:being 100 per cent, co-opera-tive. It was considered that the time was ripe for the companies to • endeavour1 to: get1, together and see if something could be done to, clarify the issue in regard to, the co-operative movement. Today" various- insidious moves were,. boring under the principle which they valued so greatly. lii his' view the principle was likely to be . undermined. /" ' i Mr. Roberts moved that the conference, ■': representing the whole of the dairy-, industry^', affirms its implicit confidence -in .'the principle „.'. of co-operation ; and, recommends ; the executive / of ; ' the National Dairy, Association to ■ investigate what is being done at present ■to develop the co-operative system and to make further recommendations to the next conference, so tha.t producers' and consumers' i organisations might^be united and ■'■ consolidated on the principle of co-operation. - '..■■'. Mr.-;J. G. Brechin (Pahiatua) sec r onded,'the resolution, which Avas carried. '' '■ "■"■■ 7 ,'; '~!/- , -■ -.'