DISTRIBUTION OF PRODUCE,

Otago Witness, Issue 2317, 28 July 1898, Page 34

DISTRIBUTION OF PRODUCE,

Wellixgtox, July 26.

By the last Vancouver mail the Premier received the following letter on the subject of the distribution of colonial produce from an old and successful New Zealandor now living in retirement in England: — " Every day I become mow convinced it behoves tho Australasian colonies to combine and have depots in all the large cities in England, where their produce can be bought. There is only one blorfi in this town which claims to sell New Zealand mutton, whilst nearly every butcher sells it; but, of course, it is passed off as Southdown mutton at lid and Is per pound. The other day I was at a small country railway station, and there I saw three New Zealand sheep consigned to the village butcher. Tasinanian apples are selling here in tli6 fruiterers' shops at 6d per pound. It is marvellous the consumption of food in EnglandOnly Hie other day 25,000,000 eggs arriveil from Russia. Think of it, and all the hens in England at this time of the year laying. Stores want' to be established in all the large centres to supply nothing but colonial produce. If colonial produce only got. fair play there would be such a genuine demand for all -the surplus production of the colonies that the farmer would have no difficxilty in -finding a market- for everything he produced, and that' at payable rates. Middlemen^ are tho curse., and to succeed as the colonies want they' must steer clear of them. The merit of colonial productions never will be properly appreciated .imtil they cease to be sold as belonging to another country. If I can be of aiiy assistance in thi3 matter I shall be only too frlad to help to upset abuses that exist. Careful organisation is all that is wanted."