MEAT PRODUCERS’ BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18752, 4 January 1923, Page 8

MEAT PRODUCERS’ BOARD

MR J. S. 3 ESS HP’S RETURNWORK IN LONDON REVIEWED. FURTHER REDUCTIONS LIKELY. (Fbou Qua Own Uorhespondekt.) LONDON, November 24. "He has been a very hard nut to crack. Wc have made very little impression on him, and wo have tried our utmost. Very few men could have done and would have done what he has ” These words xvere used by one of the shipping managers in summing up tho work of Mr J. S. Jessep, who is leaving this country to-morrow after a most strenuous fight in the interests of the farmers of New Zealand. Mr Jessep goes back without any delusions, and certainly with more knowledge of the conditions of this end of the Nexv Zealand trade than any other visiting official or private business man has ever possessed. He has dug very deeply and has never spared himself in his search for knowledge. It is not an easy matter for a man in his position to force secrets froifi tho organisations whose incomes depend very largely on the New Zealand trade, yet so far as it has been possible ho has done it. He came ewer without any wild prejudices —unless the determination that the New Zealand farmers should get every penny profit that xyas possib'c be a prejudice —he started his work with an open mind, and his capacity for details enabled him to get a grip of the underlying factors which governed the matters to be set right. . Throughout his negotiations Mr Jessep has never lost sight of the fact that business is not based on sentiment or patriotism. London business especially is hard and routloss. Each class of trader or each firm has one object in x'iew —to make as much as possible. He has taken tho view that the farmer in Now Zealand has as much need to fight for more as any other firm, and if they don’t fight their rivals will got the better of them, and those xvhoso living depends on their the utmost from them. In this attitude he has fearlessly met those who for the moment were his opponents. It is an attitude the> thoroughly understand and they have fought him every inch of tho way where interests were in opposition. Where interests were in common they have thoroughly appreciate! his enthusiasm and given him every assistance. Amongst those with whom ho has bc n n in direct opposition he has made many friends, and he goes back to New Zealand greatlv honoured for his clear sightedness and his indomitable fighting powers. I Having put the position of the farmer before the London traders, port authorities, and others, he is now in a position to put the London position clearly befre the farmers. In this reap ret his stay in England should hi of incalculable value. REixIESENTATTON IN LONDON. Amongst other things, Mr Jessep has shown the necessity for an influential repre sentativo of farmers’ interests in London—that is, a representative who is not in any way connected xvith tho Government. Such a representative speaking and acting for the producers as a whole is capable of doing a very great amount of good along sound business lines. Whether he would lose his real power if anything in the nature of dictatorship or control were attempted is a question which Mr Jessep is now in a position to discuss with the other members of the board. Mr Jessep has had a strenuous time during his stay in England, and he has learned what all learn sooner or later —that long hours in London, with a continuous strain and no week ends in the country, is tho surest means towards a breakdown in health. Ho is ceasing from his London labours, therefore, xvith some degree of relief, ,for tho strain has begun to tell on his health, .re himself believes that he has accomplished a good deal, but he is genuinely anxious to hand over the work to someone who is to make it hia permanent occupatlon’ PORT CHARGES. “Since fixing up the contract xvith tho shipping companies,” he said, during my lost talk xvith him, “which absorbed much more attention in England than I anticipated, I have had time to devote to the question of orgonisation. I am impressed with the necessity of building up an organisation here on sound business lines which will be permanent and of real value. 4 1 have been constantly at work in connection with the Port of London Authority charges. I have had numerous interviews with the P.L.A., and I have impressed upon them, very emphatically that the New Zealand board as representing the sheep farmers are not prepared to continue paying the present charges, and that, failing a reduction, we would have to consider the advisableness of making our own arrangements in connection with frozen produce and wool, and of concentrating. I am led to believe that I have impressed the P.L.A., who, I understand are to reconsider this question at once It is probable that a further reduction will be heard of before very long. MEAT BOARD JUSTIFIED. “Whatever may be the opinion held by various interests concerning the formation of the New Zealand Meat Board, it is beyond question that the sheep farmers in both New Zealand and Australia have so far benefited bv its organisation, and one cannot blind himself to the fact that the very strong posi tion occupied by the board has been a very potent factor in bringing about the reductions in freight.” Some of Mr Jcsscp’s later work has been with the Port authorities of Bristol, Cardiff. Liverpool, and Manchester. “I have been trying to get all those interested,” he said, “to concentrate upon bringing about some regular service to the West Coast ports, so that two ships will not be unloading in the same week, or os is the case sometimes, on the some day. The idea ie to got the vessels trading with the West Coast ports evenlydistributed over the months during which the cargoes are most required. Tho object to be obtained is to bring into line the interests of the ports and of the importers. I am strongly of the opinion that regularity o 1 service will do a very great deal to stimulate shipment and incidentally to increase consumption in these centres.” FINAL WORK IN SOUTHAMPTON. Mr Jessep is joining tho Aquitania at Southampton, and his final work in this country will be at that port. He has made arrangements to meet the general manager of the International Cold Storage Comnany, the manager of the London and South Western Railway Company, and tho heads of several large firms interested in tho importation of fruit. He will discuss the importa tion of fruit and meat, and railway and landing charges as pertaining to Southampton. In addition, he will be shown some of the storage and dock facilities. Ho will spend about three weeks in America consulting with the meat men of New York, Chicago, and Boston. Mr Jessep lias recently been approached by the manager of the Union Bank of Canada, and ho proposes to visit Winnipeg and took into the prospects of business being done from tho West Coast for a certain distance from Vancouver. He will sail from Vancouver by the Makura on December 22.