Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 1932. THE MASTER BAKERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 67, 18 February 1932, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 1932. THE MASTER BAKERS.

The New Zealand Master Bakers’ and Pastrycooks’ Association is the latest of a large number of Dominion organisations which have selected Palmerston North as the venue of their annual conference. Its central location and extensive facilities have long since established the city’s claim for such consideration, and it has been freely given. The time is not so far away when trade and other important, gatherings were held in the four cities, but the marked growth and. development of the larger provincial centres have brought to them an importance which was perhaps formerly lacking. It has been recognised by those associations which have departed from the former custom of confining their annual conference to one of the four chief cities. The master bakers are meeting not only in a time of severe depression ’ in trade, but when they are confronted with serious problems of which they desire a solution. One of these matters is of Dominion wide interest. It concerns other industries and has given cause for serious thought among all industrialists. The reference is to the Arbitration Court. In their annual report the executive . write plainly of the award relating to their industry, which came into force last month. . They express the definite opinion that the award “affords, little redress in the way of assisting the reduction of costs,” and with the alteration that has taken place in trading the “time has definitely arrived for a review of the Arbitration Court.” Opinion on. the latter point is not confined to the master bakers’ organisation, but is widespread, and the Government’s proposals will shortly be placed before Parliament. Prom them industry anticipates a considerable easing of the restrictions with which the Arbitration Court has bound it. Another matter to which the bakers have addressed themselves is the employment of apprentices, it being their desire to have the burden of certain restrictions lightened. There are other important questions which have been brought before the delegates, notably those relating to the price of flour and the 6ale of bread and its cost to the public. Their decisions, naturally, will be of wide interest. The delegates are not all spending their days in work. They are combining . pleasure with their business sessions, and have seized the opportunity to make themselves acquainted with the wide farming areas, of which Palmerston North is the centre, rind with the city’s amenities and scenic attractions. Massey College and its sphere of activities have also been a source of interest to visitors, whose presence in Palmerston North for their annual „ conference has been received with pleasure by the city authorities and the people.

THE LAUSANNE CONFERENCE.

As the result of negotiations between Britain and France the Lausanne Conference on Reparations will take place in June. Failure on the part of Germany 1 and France to reconcile their differing points of view, as was generally anticipated, caused a postponement of the conference last month. Dr Bruening refused to retract from the position taken by Germany that further reparations could not be paid, while France was not convinced that there was a case for their abolition. In the circumstances it was futile to proceed with a conference which could only have one ending. Behind the announcement of the new date upon which the delegates will assemble, there is said to lie a definite plan for a permanent settlement of this vexed question. This is an unofficial statement, but if it should be true the outlook must become brighter. According to the London Daily Herald’s Geneva correspondent the conditional payments are to be abandoned as Germany cannot meet them, and the unconditional payments will be reduced and made variable yearly according to a “prosperity index.” This would mean the scaling down of Germany’s obligations to about £33,000,000 annually, a gain to the Reich of £50,000,000 and more. France has stated that so long as the unconditional payments are secured to her the conditional annuities might be reduced. The former will have a starting point, the “prosperity index” mentioned in the cable, of £10,000,000 or £20,0.00,000. This is a manifestation of the belief that Germany has not fully lost the capacity to pay. reparations, and as the prosperity index rises or falls so will the “starting point” of payment of unconditional annuities be affected. The official Foreign Office statement in its precise manner says the object of the conference will be to agree on a lasting settlement of the question. The reparations problem has been the subject of so many conferences that it may well be hoped this will be the final settlement.