PRICES AT HOME

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVIII, Issue LXXVIII, 11 June 1919, Page 3

PRICES AT HOME

"DOMINION HAS NEVER HAD V FAIR DEAL."

DR,. CHAPPLES OPINION

Some observations on the commercial development of New Zealand and the prices of Dominion pioducts here and at Home were made in an interview in Auckland by Major W. A. Chappie, formerly M.P. far Tuapeka, who for .several years past has been a resident of the Old. Country, having occupied a seat in the House of Commons as member for Stirlingshire for some years. New Zealand, said Major Chappie, md never had a fair deal in the Home markets, and things were worse- during the war. He saw 300 Southdown sheep on Sussex Downs six or eight months ago, and in answer to his enquiry the owner said he had sold them to a butcher for £G each. Was New Zealand, asked Major Chappie, getting anything approaching that for its mutton in London? According to a Times of recent date wool was recorded as having been sold at auction for 6s Id per pound. What was the New Zealand grower getting ? Home prices, he thought, would come down, hut the prices that the primary producers we're getting here would rise, because they uad not been commensurate with the prices in the world's markets. A leading banker in London, said Major Chappie, had informed him on the ev e of nis departure for New Zealand, that he had just returned from America, after an exhaustive enquiry into South American securities and prospects, and he had found that the number of sheen had been reduced in the Argentine from 76 - 000,000 to 34 : 0O0,0OO. The demand by the Central Powers for wool would be unprecedented, and must be supplied. I hey had been using paper instead of wool for .some time past. The demand for wool and all New ZeiUanu primary products, said Major Chappie, would keep up, and prices here seemed certain to remain at their present level, or might even rise. They could hardly fall for several years to come Ihe quality of New; * Zealand wool, butter, cheesy lamb, and mutton was not excelled by that of any country in the world that sent its products to Britain. Major Chappie said that in his opinion prices for New Zealand's products had never been right and would never be right until all primary producers combined, and. through a representative association, went into the worlds markets as one seller powerful enough to make its demands effective. Ho had had, he added, many inter views with Lord D-vonport chairman of tb e Port of londo n Authority on the facilities for fair treatment in London for N ( nv Zealand products and ne was sure that what was wanted was unity at this end—one organisation, one policy, one voice and a determination that would not be baulked. New Zealand s reputation stood so high and her products were so well known and appreciated that they should find their way to horne s of British and foreign consumers with lesser and fewer Images on the way.