STATE MARKETING. .

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 22 June 1923, Page 5

STATE MARKETING. .

i SUCCESSFUL FLORIDA^ IJNoTi'IOTiUM. Six years ago the State of. Florida (U.S.A*!) deeiued to estaDUsn a sales department on behalf of its farming community. ±±n appropriation of 15,(j0U dollars a ior t>vo years was passed to set up a state Marketing Bureau, and a saies manager was secured trom Tennessee, a Mr. L. M. Rhodes. It publishes semi-monthly a Jbor Sale, Want, and Exchange bulletin, of which 330,000 copies are distributed annually, there being i4.ikK) names on the mailing list. The value of articles advertised in this aggregate about 5£ million dollars annually, and it is estimated that 75 per cent, of them exchangehands, or in all more than four million . dollars' worth of products of all kinds are bought, sold, or exchanged through this.publication. The transactions directly and indirectly ars&asgj^. influenced, or touched- in sorije^ w*^~&y the v Bureau amount: to approximately 12 . million dollars per annum. The «feities required of the Bureau by the marketing law include the promotion of co.~ ' operation among farmers, and,.in this connection the Cqmmisai^&iS; spends much of his time travelling and addressing farmers' meetings. The Bureau is also required to compile and publish in pamphlet form reports as to the amount of products shipped out of the State, and these pamphlets are sent direct to more than'so,ooo persons. The Bureau answers inquiries f.Fg.in other States and foreign countres abofr£ Florida. Some 2000 articles are annually published about Florida soil, products, markets, etc. It furnishes information as to the rating,'reliability,financial standing, and reputation of produce dealers and commission men for the protection of the farmers. It gathers and transmits market reports from various States and advises producers on the subject. It is often , called upon by shippers to adjust accounts and arbitrate upon disputes between shippers and receivers. The Bureau is maintained by a fund derived from the sale of fertiliser stamps-paid in the first place by the sellers, but passed on by them to the farmers, the only cost to the State being the annual appropriation, now increased to 25,000 dollars, which covers the salaries of the straff and cost of administration. The office staff numbers seven, of whom one, Mr. Neill Rhodes, the market agent, is a son-in-law of Mr. -James Bruce, of New Plvjnonth,

ing, made strong representations to the Government to evolve a scheme to' pro- -» vide the whole of New Zealand w^ith hydro-electric current. The Dominion was well provided with rivers, perhaps as well as any country in the world, and these provided immense possibilities for electrical development. Some "tinie ago' Mr. - Evan Parry had declared that/any district was justified ,in expen ding up to £100 per jx.jy. on a promising eJectrib scheme, anil m view of.the fact:, that the, estimated capital expen- . diture mi the Tariki project was. 50 per cent, b&low, that figure, he contended that- the pxiblic should give a mandate * for the work to prooeed. As regards rating, he instanced the success of the New Plymouth harbour venture, in which the province was so interested. The scheme had proved a payable proposition and no rate had been struck as yet, and it was not probable that one would be. The same applied to the. Tariki scheme, the revenue from which in his opinion would be more than sufficient to provide for interest and sinking fund. Electricity in this province - would place the industries on an equal footing with other centres and w-i'j give them considerable impetus. Tfc« provision of electricity and other fadli ties obtainable in the town would make 1 country life mere attractive and per- . haps would i*v\ towards stopping the exodus from the country to the city. , If they wanted Eltham. to progress the , people must sanction the scheme and , support it thoroughly. I After a number of questions had been answered the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Power Board members and the chairman. — Argus.

The parishioners of St. Mary's will tender a farewell social-to the Rev. R. Franklin and Mrs. Franklin at the hall on Monday evening. Mr. and Mrs. Franklin leave for England at the end - of next week.