MARKETING PRODUCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18170, 16 August 1922, Page 10

MARKETING PRODUCE.

FLUCTUATION IN PRICES.

TOOLEY, STREET CONTROL.

QUESTION OF A POOL. LBK TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPOBTEB.] ■WELLINGTON. TueJlay. A discussion regarding market sports and other of the dairy industry arose in the House of Representatives today, when the Minister for Agriculture presented somo papers relating to the butter contracts with the Imperial Government. Members of the House urged that improved market reports were required, and mado isome references to the suggested butter pool. ~ . . Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisboome) said that information that reached the farmers throujrh the High Commissioners office was not good enough. The Dominion ought to have a trade commissioner in Britain working quite apart from the High Commissioner. A similar trade commissioner should be appointed in the United States. ' Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) agreed Wiat the London market was not beiugwatched as it should be on behalf of the Isew Zealand butter producers. The reports were not adequate. The trouble was accentuated by the fact that shipments of butter from New Zealand were controlled very largely by one man, who lived in Sydney. The Prime Minister would know who ho meant. Mr. Massev: I think hia name la not unknown in Now Zealand. Mr. Field stated that shipments reached London in such fashion that the market was alternately short and glutted. Mr. F. F. Hocklv (Rotorua) agreed that there were too many fluctuations in the London butter market. The norma! movements of the market did not accounts for these fluctuations. The Government should take into very serious consideration the question of instituting a butter pool and, if necessary, making it compulsory. Another matter that required attention, said Mr. Hockly, was the competition between the proprietary companies and the co-operative companies. There was a strong demaad from the co-operativp companies that some provision should be made by legislation during the present year to compel each company to publish its over-run. If that could be done it would eliminate a particularly unfair form of competition. The Prima Minister said he had been informed, and he believed it to be true, that the London market, for dairy produce was controlled by a small committee of Tooley iStreet merchants, which fixed prices daily. He was not prepared at tha moment to sugfest a remedy, but until the Tooley treet peopje had somo competition against them not much could be done in the way of steadying the market. It might be a good thing, if New Zealand sent dairy produce to other centres as well as to London. The Minister for Agriculture, Hon. W. Nosworthy, said he doubted if a Government officer appointed to report on market movements would secure better results than "he present London representatives of the New Zealand dairying interests. The dairy fanners, if they wished, could establish an organisation similar to the Meat Producers' Board. He believed that some form of national co-operation would become necessary for the marketing of butter and cheese.