PRODUCE IN LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14690, 26 May 1911, Page 8

PRODUCE IN LONDON.

BAD SYSTEM OF. HANDLING.

FARMERS URGE IMPROVEMENT.

Representativbs from farmers' unions and agricultural associations in tho Auckland province met together in the Hall of Commerce yesterday, and discussed the question of tho handling of New Zealand produce in London. About 40 delegates were present, and Mr. Jas. M. Phillips, president of the Auckland A. and P. Association, presided, supported by Major Lusk, president of the Auckland Farmers' Union. Mr. J. E. Makgill, vice-president of the Auckland Provincial Farmers' Union, said the' question boforo them was one of the utmost importance, to producers in New Zealand. Mr. W. D. Lysnar, Mayor of Gisborne, had intended to be present at the meeting, but, unfortunately, ho was ill. Mr. Makgill moved tho following resolution:—" That a committee of producers be set up to co-operate with other committees, appointed by public meetings in various parts of tho Dominion, to at: tempt to improve tho conditions under which New Zealand produce is received and distributed in Great Britain."

Mr. Makgill, in support of the motion, read extracts from a speech on the subject by Mr. Lysnar, in which he referred to having seen bales of wool soaking in the barges on the Thames, also in the stores rows of bales which had been damaged by* leaky barges. This was afterwards sold as damaged wool, and the owner in New Zealand did not know why ho got such low prices. Mr. Lysnar, in summing up the. difficulties, said that the system of sorting tho produce in the hold of the ship, instead of in tho goods shod, was wrong; the system of discharging the ship with hatches only partly covered from tho weather, was wrong; the method of handling the meat in running it down shoots and loading into barges and tracks, was unsatisfactory ; and most of tho barges used for conveying moat up tho Thames were unfit for tho purpose. "Wo can't expect the London market to look after itself," concluded Mr. Makgill. "1 believe tho price for every item wo send to market could be substantially increased if we took an intelligent interest in our own business." '

Major Lusk said ho thought the Conference would agree that an improvement was very desirable. Farmers had been neglecting their own interests, and had evidently expected other people to look after them. It was quite time they appointed representatives from themselves to see that their affairs were not neglected. He had pleasure iii seconding the motion. • Other delegates strongly supported the motion, which was carried, and the following committee was set up : —Messrs. R. Reynolds, R. Fisher, Alan Bent, S. J. Ambury, Jas. McLeod, M, Harding, Jas. M. Phillips, A. Muir, L. Nelson, and J. E. Makgill. The following motion was carried, on the motion of Mr. Makgill :—" That the New Zealand Railway Department be requested to charge the ordinary freight for all live stock delivered at public saleyards throughout the Dominion, even though they may be handled at private sidings connected with such yards." The Conference decided to set up a doputation to wait upon the Auctioneers' Association, and request them to provide a weighbridge for cattle at the Otahuhu saleyards, and to make arrangements to supply owners or buyers with weights of pens of stock as offered for sale.