TOPICS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6315, 16 September 1907, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES. (From Our Special Coirespondent.) LONDON. July 26. HARD LINES ON THE N.Z.S. COl. Captain Sutcliffe, the popular commander of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s Tougariro’ was the defendant iu a very peculiar case heard by Air Justice Bray in the King’s Bench Division last Monday, when an important question was raised under the Aliens Act. Mr Scrutton, K.C., who appeared for Captain Sutcliue, explained that it was a test case which was being defended on behalf of. ship-owners. The question was whether under -the Act the master of the Tougariro was liable for having brought a stowaway alien to this country. The shin was-on a voyage from New Zealand to Plymouth, and the stowaway got on board while the vessel was coaling at Tencriffe. When the ship had been at sea two days he . was discovered; but as the master could not tie a stone-round his neck and drop'him into the sea. like a kitten, he was obliged to bring him to England. The stowaway was hero prosecuted and convicted, the unpleasant consequence • being that tho ship-owners were compelled to pay th«v co>ts of -sending him. back to Germany, where he came from —the very place whure ho wanted to go. These were very large ships,- and when they were coaling it was practically impossible to prevent people from. coming on board and hiding themselves. . Counsel contended that an act done.involuntarily and without knowledge was not within the scope of the Act. If it had not been for the prosecution of the stowaway, which the owner had undertaken, thus carrying: out tho law of England, no expulsion order would have been made. The contention of the - prosecution waa that, whilst no one suggested that Captain Sutcliffe had committed a personal offence he had committed an act which conflicted with a question of State policy and was liable for what was one of th* risks of his trade. One of the objects of the Act was to make it a risk ol the policy of the Act that stowaways i should bo included with aliens. ' ' On behalf of the defendant it-was submitted that to make a man pay a large 'sum of ’ money because ’ something over qTiich ho had no control had been done was a very extraordinary thing to read into an English Act of Parliament, and it was contended that the master was only liable when the alien had been brought on board with the knowledge of some person for whom the master -wan responsible. ’' Th© Judge, thoiigh expressing it as his opinion that the Secretary of’State ought not to have proceeded against Captain Sutcliffe, held that the policy of the Act was to make the' ship responsible, and ho gave judgment for the Crown accordingly. •• - s •;

MR ANDERSON ON THE MEAT TRADE. Mr Gilbert Anderson, of the Christchurch Meat Company, has-left Loudon on a tour through tno north and west of England to study the methods qf dis. tributron of New Zealand frozen meat in those parts. In an interview '■ vylth the “British Australasian” tills week. Mr Anderson criticises - severely' the method, or rather lack t Of luettiqd, in connection ■ with the disposal of New Zealand meat in London. The Australian methods are better, he thinks, and ' those of the Argentine .shippers are “vastly superior.” The New Zealand meat is well-graded, well-dressed, and well-handled, and comes on the market with a good appearance; but 'he thinks the New Zealander requires to concentrate his business more at tho Loudon end, and to have his stock sold by reputed agents of the freezing companies, or by firms- who are "directly interested in maintaining the' connection _ and obtaining the beat results. . As it is.-“there ik-mo attempt to get tuU-value ior our uifeat. The Smithheld salesman is eager to make the largest volume of sales possible, the result being that except on a reported short market, full prices are obtainable. If tko business was conducted on the lines that other business is, it would-be possible to arrive at a price that is fair and reasonable. There must bo some, price .at which the retailer is .prepared to pur. chase which may not be as high as 7d. but which should seldom be os low as 4-id. The result of tho present system is that so far as the grower and speculator aro concerned, the trade iu frozen meat is nothing but a gamble.” - Reports havo been repeatedly heard in the. colony of so-called Bmithfield rings, but. in Mr Anderson’s opinion there is no need lor any ring or any combination on tho part of the Smithfield salesman.' “The way in which we conduct tho business, or, rather, leave the business to conduct Itself,-” he- saysi “gives the- buyer' such manifest advantages f that there is no need for him to term or join a'ring. In this respect the Australian methods are superior. Australian "meat is handled by , a comparatively limited ’ number of people;-and as far ae one can learn the meat is the property of the person or the firm disposing. There are tha usual forward sales; probably not to such a large extent as applies to New Zealand, but the meat when marketed is under the oar© of someone who . watches the sale or the disposal of it. The result is, .Mr Anderson firmly believes, that Australia obtains a much higher price relatively for its meat than does New Zealand.; In almost all business there are means of arriving at the statistical position; that is, stocks available on’the spot,'and prospective supplies, but in regard to frozen meat, especially from New Zealand, there is absolutely no reliable information to be obtained. The consequence is, tbat_ supplies .are frequently sold.at low prices, gnd thou suddenly it is realised that, the, market is .bare, and the ‘prices .bound up. It cannot be considered satisfactory business when, in one season, the range, of prices for. say. lamb, is -from 11 d to id per lb. j , .... , . ‘Mr Anderson finds nothing to complain 1 about in ’the distribution of our meat by the retail trade. He has visited almost all'the.,districts,-in,. England and Scotland, and he admits that the colony has no cause to complain-of the class of shop , that is .handling! frozen meat to-day. His complaint is directed against the lack of method in the distribution of meat by the representatives of the colonial shiuper to the retailer. Ho believes that when Australia improves her methods of grading and hant tiling her meat, the competition that Now Zealand will suffer will b e vep y great, for Austral ia’s_ .superior methods at tho London end, will giverthat country the advantage. As regards tho West Coast trade, .Mr Anth.'rsou thinks the advantage . and possibilities .have -boon fully demonstrated. , The result, has been not only to open up new. markets,, but also to prevent' the congestion of. the London : market and ..the consequent reduction in price. : . . . • ROBERT CAMPBELL AND SONS. An extraordinary meeting of, Robert Campbell and Sous, Ltd., will Tie held next week, for the pnrpoie of .pressing a resolution to reduce .the capital from <IBO,OOO ill, GO.ODO <3 .'.hares, tulfy paid, to <OO,OOO,’ in 00,060 <1 share?,, by returning to holder© Xi per share. The directors have issued a circular, stating that a’ sale of the company's station at Otekiijke haa recently been made to tjio New Zealand Government on Satisfactory .terms.- amt that,, resulting- from it arid previous Kales, the Amount .of ,bo much ; more than- the director? can sco any prospect of being able la .profitably .employ either in Australia.or New Zealand! They, therefore, pro pose to apply .to the Court , for outbo/ity to ‘reduce the capital .Of the company, by the repayment of ,<2 par share to the proprietors. ... .: .... "- ■