MR H. M. CAMPBELL, M.P.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18349, 13 September 1921, Page 6

MR H. M. CAMPBELL, M.P.

SOME IMPRESSIONS. THE FREIGHT -PROBLEM. (Fhom Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, July 28. What has been the experience of Mr H. M. Campbell, M.P. for Hastings, and Mrs Campbell is probably not unique amongst visitors to Europe this summer, but their record gives some indication of the extraordinary season the Northern Hemisphere has experienced. They left New Zealand on April 28, and since then they have not experienced a day of rain. Landing at Marseilles, Mr and Mrs Campbell spent some time in Paris, and went on to the nearer battlefields. This last week, however, they have made their way to the French capital by air. Having witnessed the aerial pageant a few weeks ago, the stability and apparent safety of the great Handley Page machines in flight engendered a confidence in and a desire to experience this mode of travel, and so they put it to the test. The passage to Paris was not without its thrilling moments, and the negotiation of air pockets had a distinctly disconcerting effect on the travellers, but all ended happily. Mr and Mrs Campbell have been to Bath, to Shropshire, to Chester, t 6 Edinburgh, Glasgow, to some of the lakes of Scotland; and, having come to the OH Country expecting little, they leave it with an intense appreciation of the hospitality they have received. Mr Campbell paid a visit to Hereford to see, if possible, the famous stud cattle. Though stating he was not a buyer, he was mototed round the country by the secretary of the Hereford Cattle Breeders’ Association, and went over “The Leen,” the estate of Mr W’. Smith, and visited the farm of Major Milne. Both herds, he said, were extremely fine. He had seen, nothing to compare with them throughout the North Island. Doubtless the reputation the Now Zealand troops have loft behind them in England acts now as an open sesame for many a dominion tourist; but surely a phrase which Mr Campbell heard not once but several times' in France is as flattering as it is original; “Your men,” they said, “were the aristocrats of the Allies.’ The Ascot race meeting and the Buckingham Palace garden party were among the social events which Mr and Mrs Campbell attended. Naturally Mr Campbell has formed some opinions with regard to commercial questions. He was one of the members ot the party who mot the representatives of the shipping companies here to discuss freights. Although ho was not greatly impressed with the result of the conference, he is of opinion that the shipping representatives went away more deeply impressed with the seriousness of the situation and the urgency for some sacrifice if the trade is to be saved. “It is evident,” he said, “that our beef, all sheep over 561 b in weight, all second-class wool, and all coarse wool will hardly pay their freight. That means that a third to a half ot our trade must go.’ Doubtless the shipping companies are suffering from the lack of outward freight, but if they would help us to get. our produce to England at a more reasonable price it would provide money •to buy British goods, and thus also provide the cargoes that are missing to-day.” ’ Like a great many others, Mr Campbell is not satisfied with the way New Zealand meat is handled in this country, although the new cold store at the docks should go a long way towards improving those conditions. The moat trade, however, is undoubtedly suffering from the results of control, just as the wool trade must continue to suffer. Mr Campbell is more than ever convinced that any attempt to control wool prices, either here or in Australia or New Zealand, is going- to do no good. Brokers in London affirm that they are going to sell as their clients desire them to. They have signed nothing, and they don’t intend to sign anything. Moreover, ho is convinced that the principle of withholding the New Zealand wool from sale is not going to help matters, even if the farmers could afford to follow this policy, and, as a matter of fact, the great majority are in the position that they must realise on their stock. Mr and Mrs Campbell are leaving’ for New Zealand by the Corinthic tb-day.