THE H.B. TRIBUNE MONDAY, JUNE 24, 1935 BRIGHTER PROSPECTS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 161, 24 June 1935, Page 6

THE H.B. TRIBUNE MONDAY, JUNE 24, 1935 BRIGHTER PROSPECTS.

The trade and financial reports received by cable from London to-day carry quite a cheerful note with regard to the outlook for Dominion exportable products. Of special interest to this district is the section dealing with fruit, whose growers have had two or three particularly unprofitable seasons. On this subject the cable speaks not only of the present market being well sustained at much better rates than previously realised, but also of a likelihood of their continuance with quite a possibility of further improvement. This will be welcome news not only to Hawke’s Bay producers, but also to all those who have the prosperity of the district at heart. • Locally we are not as yet as greatly interested as are other areas in the prices of dairy products, but here also the volume of our exports is steadily growing and, in any event, we are quite intimately concerned in the returns received by the country as a whole for products that const! lute so big a proportion of its ex ports. There is also some gratification to be found in the fact that prices for the New Zealand article are still well in advance" of those on offer for the Australian. At the same time, our dairymen will in this respect have to look well to their laurels, for they must recognise that our neighbours across the Tasman are bending their efforts not only to an increase in their output, but also to the improvement of its quality. It therefore behoves our dairymen throughout the country, if they wish to maintain their advantage, to pay special attention to the quality of their own, and to see also that the well established likes and tastes of the consumers in their principal market are consulted to the fullest extent possible. This is one of the main objects the Government had in view in setting up the Executive Commission of Agriculture, and it is to be hoped that every possible advantage will be taken of the assistance intended to be given and that the regulations directed towards securing improvement in quality will be observed. With respect to wool the note is perhaps not quite so well assured, but the general trend of the forecast is at any rate quite hopeful. It speaks of no special movement having bsen apparent among manufacturing consumers during the last week or two and of Bradford buyers showing no

present disposition to advance their bids. However, it is said that the statistical position is in favour of sellers and it is hinted pretty strongly that British buyers may have eventually to come up to values more consistent with the cost of production, while Continental competition is still in strong evidence. So far, it is indicated, that most capricious of factors, the English weather, has been against increased activity, checking badly the customary seasonal demand for spring and summer wear. That is, of course, a thing that cannot be controlled, but, on the other hand, contrary weather conditions have resulted in great losses among Australian flocks, -with the, result that the quantity of wool available from that quarter during next, selling season will be appreciably reduced. This seems sure to have its effect even upon the coarser grades that constitute the bulk of the Dominion’s clip. With regard to meat it is unfortunate that the representatives of the British and oversea dominion Governments have as yet been unable to arrive at any finality as to how supplies are to be regulated. This cannot, of course, but have a very unsettling effect. But even in this connection we in New Zealand arc in a much better position than is Australia, where the main point of contention has regard for beef, while for us mutton and lamb arc by far the biggest exports’ to be considered. In these we do not come into anything like such violent conflict with the British growers, whose

special interests the British Government naturally wishes to safeguard. Perhaps most important of all the day’s news bearing upon pros-

pects for our exports is that which tells us that the trading outlook in the Old Country continues to be favourable. That means employment in various ways for many hands that have been long idle or working only part time and a wider and more generous distribution of wages. For us this means an increase not only in the number of our customers, but also in their capacity to pay better prices for the foods we are able to send them and also for the finished goods manufactured from the raw materials we can provide.