THE DISTRIBUTlONION OF NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2209, 2 July 1896, Page 7

THE DISTRI BUT lONI ON OF NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE.

, ' (Fnost Our Own Correspondent.) „. ■ . ' ■ London, Mny-16. . The fertile bra ; n of Mr.H. C. Cameron is Btill workingjw aotivf ly as. ever in the interests of New Zealand i roducers, and in the direotion, ,of- an improved distribution of their produce. ' Hia New Zealand produce stores at Manchester thrive as prosperously as ever, indeed so gre t is the crush on cartaiu days and evoaiDgs during ' the week that the front shop is often couiptet-jly blo:k'.d, and ib bscjtnes. almost impossible to c trry on business. Mr Cumeroa is therefore arranging to rent t'io a£jo ! niog shop to the doe he now ecsupiea afc 95 Eiccadilly (Manchester), and I understand that this, addition will'be opened shortly. This will enable him to separate the mt.&\ and dairy produce'into two distinct departments, to the manifest advantage of the atVact.ve display of their various item\ A very high rent is naturally asked for premise* of such a valuable situation; but Mr Cuneron fijds his Naw Zeiland produce business pays .so well when carried on as he does it tint, he is suiguiue that he will be recouped for the contemplated it crease' in his expenses. ' ' A day or two ago I hv3 a long ohab with Mr Camer.>n, 'in which "we reviewed the produce distribution , question in all its aspects. As usual Mr Oameron let fall many word* of wisdom. '" Whut has bit-herto stood ia the. way .of a satisfactory distribution of Naw Zealand -produce," he B»id, "ia that nearly everybody seems to have, devoted his attentjpn.cxclusiyelyto the wholesale pideof the case. 1 I understand that the ,new Agent-general is interesting h'nuelf actirely in th'-snlnse of the matter. That is all very well so fair as it goes, but ili does nob f go nearly far enough. It is nob the wholesale • side of the question that needs so much attention and reform, .- As far as I can judge, and, as you know, I .have mide a special study of the iubj*ot f the wholesale business in connection with New-^Zea'and produce seems to be carried on f*irly*Bathfaetorily. There miy b9 a paint here.ah'd there in regard to which improvement is possible, but on the whole I am iiciiued to thiok ,thab the wholesale business in this connection- is really worked vary well and that little remains to be. done in the way of reform from that side of ttie,,oaße.''. ' ( - "I- do not -mean to, say, he ontinued, " thab nothing remain's tobs done, but- whit I mean is ithit if r a»ything. js done iW must be from, quite a different' .staudpoinb. It is' the retail trade that needs fostering and extending, and, indeed, I am inclined to, Bay establishing. At pressnt it has been to a large extent neglected. • People have only nibbled at ib in a small, way. here and there. For insfance, I myself am doing something in Mauch e ster and the surrounding district, and something, though not, very much, is being .done in London/ Bab this iunne nothiug to what is required and is easily feasible. IE the consumption of New Zealand product is to be encouraged and expanded, this can only ba accomplished by goiDg direct to the consumer.

" Tench the people to eat New Zealand meat and dafty produce, aid encourage them in every way to buy more of it. ' Offer consumers inducement to tell other people about ib, and, in thorfc, leave no stipe untamed to enlarge $he ( rebail consumption of New Zealand produce, ,and then the wholesale w.ll take care of itself.,. If so much more produce is purchased by consumers from the rorailecp," the retailers will need so much more from the wholesale denier* and they from the New Z^dUnd pro'dacersV This is the only way to bring about a g'ouine and permanent expansion of the trade. Wholesale dealers and'*agents may try 2*ll sorts of devices for pushing th K o sale among retailer?, but they-will never accomplish much' because the actual consumption will n )t be influenced in this way. , The gfea^i point is fhe organising of' definite- plam- of getting at the consumers personally. As you see, I have tried it myself, and with the most gratifying success. If theie were a number of people doing what I am doing the 'position of the New Zealand producer would ba very different to-day from what it is." " •• Ab one time," Mr Cunsron went on to say, " I hoped it might be feasible to start goma new company or agency or syndicate which would tjke the thing in hand from, .the retail standpoint, audl thought th^fc in view of the speoial • interest Sir Westby Perceval has taken in the question ha might, when relieved of his dutieß as Agent-general, bs willing to head a movement in this direction, but I imagine tb.it Sir Westby Perceval's acceptance of a seat on the C.C. and D. Company puts that idea out of the question, as it means that he has casb in his lot on the wholesale side. Doubtless he may do a great deal of good there, but I venture to think he could haverdone more good by leading such a movement as I have spoken of." Probably other suitable men could be found to lead the way, bub I am afraid that in ordinary circumstances it might nob be easy to impress it upon City financiers and the sort of men who go into these enterprises that the customary' method. -of company management; would ensure" absolute and certain • failure if applied to such a business as this. • There must' be afar more direct and- personal interest and control and initiation than one generally finds on^ the- patt of directors and' officers of .companies-, Ib would- be all-important- to get the right men to open and run-the various shops in London and other populous centres.- Such men are not to be picked op every day, still they, are to be found, only they must be approached in the right way and be placed in a proper position of responsibility, yet with eufficently free power of action. I have told you before tint I estimate a oapita\of at least £1000

'or pach slop st«ted to be neces*ary. Nicetenths of fie success thab has attended my own eff Jr!s may ba a?cribed to the extreme personal care and watchfulucs3 I hive devoted to what many/peop'.e. wpuld' depm details' of minor importance,- -or ; "evea -;triflds not worth & moment's conaideration. ' It is on these apparently trifling points thit the issue of eubcoss or failure turns. ' * ' ' ' Uof ortuaat'ely many psople deeply interested iv New Zi&land produce are rather, iniiined to 1 >ok' down' at" the retail phase oFthe basiness, aud to deem it- beneith their personil notice. A? long r.s the matter is reg*rded from this high and mighty point of view tbera seems to me very little chance of any iva\ good being done. Bub Ido think thab if it oould be realised how much is open to accomplishment ia the wsy of pushing tlie actual consumption of Naw Zaaland produce by bringing ib dirtc 1 ; to tho consumers, the retiil phuse wou'd he regarded with much more respect tlnn ib commands at present."