Hawke's Bay Herald. FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1898. DISTRIBUTION OF COLONIAL PRODUCE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10363, 24 July 1896, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1898. DISTRIBUTION OF COLONIAL PRODUCE.

Everyone concerned mnßt admit) that the English marked for Australasian prodace is in a very unsatisfactory state. This applies to everything except wool and tallow, which go through old estob« lished grooves which, If not perfect, answer their purpose very well. Bub for other produce, especially frozen meat, the market appears thoroughly disorganised. The high hopes formed on the establishment of the Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company have not been realised. Whether this is due to the Insufficiency of cold storage In London, or to the competition of outside salesmen rushing cargoes indiscriminately on the market, or to other causes, we do not profesß to say. Bat the hard fact is there; Recently two new movements have been inauEiu ;i; d. The ii-at has its origin in Australia, und is apparently devoted to controlling the market for Australiarii as distinguished from Now Zealand, pro^ duce. It is a three-headed arrangement. In each colony a committee is to be appointed, consisting partly of repre« sentatlvea Df financial institutions and partly of experts, whose funotions are to be of an advisory character, though there is to be no compulsion on the part of the freezing or dairy companies to follow their advice, These committees will periodically meat in Sydney, and will form a colonial central committee, whose duty will be to keep a London committee posted up in all that relates to refrigerated produce, advising as to expeoted output, and so on. The London committee will be the hub of the scheme. Jt will consist solely of the representatives of banks and financial institutions interested in Australian trade, salesmen of refrigerated produce, snch as the Colonial Consignment Company and Messrs Weddel and Co., being expressly excluded from Its composition on the ground that they may have English interests adverse to those of the Australian producer. In explanation of this selection jit ia stated by the Melbourne Argus that the banks and financial companies are the largest owners of pas. fcoral property In Australia, and 75 per cent of the pastoral intercut }s, as a matter of fact, dependent upon banks and finance companies. The representatives chosen are to be paid officers of the banks and finance oompanles, and to supply the teohnioal knowledge in which they may be looking, a " practical market inspector " 1b to bs appointed by the committee— one, It Is provided, "possessed of sufficient experience to enable him to detect and report) any nnfair dealings in connection with the sale of produce." There Is also a apeolal representative ft bo selected by the association Id Australia to proceed to London, to Bit with the London committee, and have a voice in their deliberations, but who shall be appointed, paid, and controlled by the association. This committee win jie invested with some rather important powerc In addition to J acting as a board of advice and feoop'nß ■ a watchful eye on tho interests of the ' trade generally, they are to draw up a ( list of recognised salesmen, and no pro- j duce is to be entrusted for disposal to ( salesmen other than those named t in the list, Salesmen so appointed * are to bind tliamaelves not to import on their own account either direotly or Indlrsotly. The finance Is arranged for, np to an expenditure of £5000 per annum. This may seem a somewhat vague scheme, but it is not more so than the other, for whioh our old friend Mr D. Tallerman, who at one time did so much to popularise Australian tinned meats 1 before the 'days of freezing, is responsible. It Is called the Agricnltnral Organising Company, Limited, and at a meeting of importers of Australian and New Zealand refrigerated products a resolution endorsing its objects and promising support was carried. These objects are stated as follows :— 1. The practical examination and classification of all commodities in accordance with their character and condition. 2. Tneir preparation in the different ' forms that are most suitable for ready ' sale at largely Increased prices over those hitherto realised.

A. The organisation and conduct of rt sorlea of centres of dlatrlhntlon In nil districts, under effective and oconomloul local management, to anpply the domonds nnaing from freah channels of consumption. * 4. The establishment, retention, and maintenance of pnbllo eonfldenoe in the nutritive vnlne and high character ot Australian and New Zealand producta. 5. The demonstration to British artlzanß of the commercial interests they poßsesß in the extension of colonial trade. 6. ' Tha organisation oi an ollioial oonncll to acquire and retain the supervision and control of the trade, and a com meroial council to develop and protect it, in the interests of all colonies. The idea is to form tlireo inner circles, bo to speak, in the company, who would attend to the different objects. Not long since Mr Tallorman gave a ires dinner to assembled representatives ot trades unions, all tho meats boing from those colonies, and ho iutonda to organise similar demonstrations as differont districts aro attacked. To thin end ho solicits consignments of colonial produce, the consignors to take out the value in shares in the company. Me W. Wentworth, of Sydney, hoa offered to furnish 5000 sheep on that condition, and that ahonld go a long way. Bat the sheep will, of course, bs Australian, probably merino, and it is questionable whether Mr T&llorman's efforts will do much to benefit: this colony unless he has New Zealand moat to serve at hia eduoational banquets.