INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5678, 28 August 1905, Page 7

INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE

(To Hie Editor "N.Z. Times. ) Sir,—ln his fourth annual report, the Minister for Industries and Commerce (Sir J G. Ward) states that the question of the marketing of the colony s produce is one Hint requires earnest consideration. because under present conditions too many per sons handle the colony s produce, and that this question will require to be faced very seriously in the future, if this.. colony’s producers are to get the best results froin their different industries.”

It is to be hoped that this expression of opinion from the Minister will he speedily followed by the necessary measures to prevent the numerous firms that handle the colony's produce from epo hng the market bv coinneting with each other in the business. The first practical step is to effect an amalgamation of the colony's export houses, which amalgamation would adopt in each provincial district a uniform standard of grading and branding. in lieu of allowing each house to grade and brand in its own way, as at present. The next steu would be to have the whole of onr perishable products sold through the office of the High Commissioner in London, so that in no case a price less than the very highest obtainable would be accepted from Home buyers. At present, the Home buyer is able to take advantage of colonial sellers. because the eagerness of the latter to effect sales enables the former to make his own terms. If this system were adopted in time to catch the n o xt season's lamb trade, it would result in obtaining from id to Id per lb increase in price, which would represent from Is fid to 3s per head gain to producers.

Mr George Banks, wholesale butcher, of Wellington, who re >ently returned from a visit to London states that the price obtained for last season's lamh could have been ‘ increased by this amount,- if properly handled, and that the representatives of American houses declared that they would secure a very much better price than we obtain if the commodity wore their production by the simple arrangement of confining selling to one central house. Mr Banks also states that the quality of New Zealand lamb is so good that the customeis of fashionable West Rni retail butchers order supplies of the New Zealand article to a greater extent than English, which shews the vast possibilities of rMe commodity, if its rale were properly controlled. It is time that the earnest ernsiderfttion of th ; s big question received the attention of Parliament, and now that Sir J. G. Ward reports the matter as requiring to be faced very serioudy, if this colony's producers are to get the best results from their different industries, surely something will be speedily done So many of our industries arc seriously languishing that, if steps are not taken to fo-stor those that can be made flourish-’ ing, wo will deserve to suffer the consequences that must ensue.—l am. etc , * F. T. MOORE, Johnsonville, August 26th.