MEETING OF PRODUCERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10405, 1 April 1897, Page 6

MEETING OF PRODUCERS.

At the Metropolitan Hotel yesterday a meeting of producers was held, to consider i their present position and the prices of produce now ruling. The following delegates were present .-—Messrs. Rhode* and Lockwood,- Hunua; Messrs. Browne Mid Colquhoun, VPairoa; Mr. Gerron, Waiuku; Messrs. Kaye and Smith, Birkenhead; Mr. Parrisli, Morthcoto; Mr. Holdon, Was' Creek ; Mr. Balme, Paparata; Mr. H»l|, Mangare; Mr. Massey, Franklin. Messrs C. Wood and E. Wagner, were also present. Mr. G. Rhodes, the Chairman of the Committee which met) at) Hunua and first mooted the idea of a representative meeting, said 210 circulars had been sent out to different bodies in the Provincial District of Auckland, and be was sorry to see so few present. He considered that of all the different classes of workers the producers were the worst paid. On the motion of Mr. Massby, Mr. Rhodes was appointed chairman of the meeting, and Mr. S. Grown undertook the duties of secretary. Mr. Lock wood then read a very instructive paper on the subject. He dealt with the ridiculously low prices the farmers and producers got tor their products, and said the only remedy was combination on the co-operative principle. Mr. Holder said the small settlers in his part of the district suffered from want of good or even passable roads. He thought there were too many markets in Auckland, which had the effect of distributing the buyers and so precluding fair competition. As a remedy he would suggest a separate market for each product. Mr. Holder strongly supported Mr. Lockwood's idea of co-operation, and felt without it the producers could do absolutely nothing. There were numbers of persons in the outdistricts, however, who had few if any ideas about combination, and these would have to be educated up to it. Mr. C. Wood saw no reason why cooperation should not be a success. They only wanted sufficient capital and good management. Mr. Massky said the prices of produce were regulated by rings, That was what they had to contend with. There was naturally very little profit left for the producer. If there was a remedy it was cooperation. Mr. Massey said of course they bad to take into consideration the laws of supply and demand. Mr. Rhodes thought too much stress had been laid on supply and demand. At the present time wages had never been higher, and prices of produce had never been lower. Mr. Browne blamed the bad system of distribution. Mr. Rhodes then suggested that those present in the room should form a cooperative society. Mr. Kaye suggested the delegates should first think the matter over. Mr. E. Hale, felt they should have more information on the subject before accepting the chairman's suggestion. He would move, "That the chairman and Messrs, Locknood and Brown be elected a committee, with power to add to their number, to collect further information on the subject, and to formulate some definite proposals to lay before a future meeting." Mr. Holder seoonded, and the motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Rhodes said ib would be about three mouths before the next- meeting could be called. Votes of thanks to Mr. Lockwood for his paper, and to the chairman brought the mooting to a close.