THE GRADING OF GRAIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2560, 8 April 1903, Page 11

THE GRADING OF GRAIN.

DEPUTATION TO BIR J. G. WARD.

A deputation from the Dunedin Grain Buyers' "Association, consisting of Messrs W. E. Reynolds, J. Fotheringham, and F. Oldham, waited upon Sir Joseph Ward, Minister of Commerce and Industries, on. Wednesday afternoon to lay before him their opinions on the suggestion to grade gram previous to its export trom the colony. The deputation were introduced by Mr J. A. Millar, M.H.R., and Mr J. F. ArnoH, M.H.R., was also present. . Mr Reynolds said that Mr Donne, of the Department of Commerce and - Industries, had asked those in Dunedin interested in the grain trade to express . an . opinion as to the advisability of bringing, in -a system of providing for the compulsory grading' of grain. The members .of ' the Dunedin Association were very much in favour 'of the' proposal, and a reply was sent- to Mr Donne to that effect. The Invercargill Association also favoured it. 'They had' decided to "lay their views before the Minister, and to say that, as far as Dunedin was concerned, they considered that great good would come from the Government undertaking the compu.Eory grading of grain. At present they had Bometime.3 great difficulty in getting drafts taken on the other side, and probably all the fault did not lie on the other side. If the exporters had their goods shipped ■as Bold and supported by a Government certificate, the difficulty would bo largely obviated. Another matter of importance was that of weight at the- time of shipment. At present they had some difficulty in getting accurate weights, but if the Government graders were in attendance the weights they supplied could b"e .depended upon and accepted &a correct. -The appointment of Government graders would put the whole trade on a much brtter footing. The work of graders in connection with butter, cheese, a«d flax showed the good- results of Government grading, as these articles could now be sold in almost any part of the world, and the benefit the exporters of those lines had obtained could a!. 30 be obtained by the exporters of grain. Mr Fotherlngham said that if the grading was carried out as it was in the case of butter and cheese the Government grader's certificate could be made the ba3is of contract on the other side. The Minister, in reply, said he favoured rho grading of the colony's exports wherever h was possible, because ho knew the value of it to the people generally. If they could get p!1 their exports graded and rejections made of anything below the grading bought by the people, whether in butter, cheese, flax, or grain, it would undeniably bo for the good of the country, becaufio it gave it a good name outside. Iti addition to assisting in the carrying on of business, it jaras a great inducement Jo people abroad.

who were naturally anxious to get good articles. ;Government grading had already don<3 much for t th« colony's exports of butter, cheese, and flax, and • had also worked well in connection with large shipmentß o.f grain, particularly for -tho Imperial authorities, and -had helped to draw. a large amount of .business to the colony. It would be understood, of course, - that the grading would be paid for by those whowere shipping, and if suitable arrangements could be made he would be prepared to have an effective system put into operation. In. quirieiv had been made by the -department to elicit the opinions of those mostly concerned, because they did not want to adopt any scheme 'that did not meet with the approval of those- mostly interested in the trade.* The replies- so far received from dif- / erent centres were satisfactory, and on hia return to Wellington he would go- into the question further and see what could be done. He favoured it himself, because ha believed it would be a good thing for the colony if grading were in -general operationr- ' Mr, Reynolds did not think ' the matter * of payment would- 1 be objected to in th» slightest. .At present' -the exporters^ vpaid for the campling, and 'it would be easy to pass the* money on to the ' Government.' f The Minister remarked that fair payment ahould- -be made 7 and '-'the •work:'' don* thoroughly. The deputation then withdrew; , V - -. . ■ '. -. i . ',

A pellet from a pea-rifle crashed through" a window of a train at Wanganui on Suaday, and injured the hand of a> passenger. ;