TRADE BOARDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3861, 13 March 1928, Page 13

TRADE BOARDS.

NEW REPRESENTATIVES IN LONDON. LONDON, January 19. During the past week or two new London representatives for the Dairy Producers’ Board and for the Fruit Export Control Board have arrived in London and have taken up their new duties. E - Stephens (of the Fruit Board) came by the Corintliic, arriving on Monday, January 9. His first journey to the Old Country, he will have good cause to remember. After Raving the Carribbean Sea and getting out into the Atlantic, the 'Corinthie ran into a violent storm, and had a strenuous battle for three days. The passenger list was a small one—l 3 firs'-class and 18 second class, —but the ship was fully laden with cargo. Progress into the teeth of the storm was slow, tlie vessel covering only 70 miles on one day. During 16 hours of the 24 it moved forward only four miles. On one occasion a very big sea broke over the ship, smashing every ventilator from the bow to the bridge. Even the glass in front of the steersman on the bridge' was broken, and the steersman himself was slightly injured. After that the pace was also slackened for a few hours, and the ship was nursed through the storm. Captain Hart, whose last voyage it was previous to retirement, said that the particular wave was the largest he had ever known to come overboard throughout his long experience at sea. After getting through the storm, it was found that an excessive amount of coal had been used, and it was necessary to divert the passage of the ship to Fayal, in the Azores, for a fresh supply. The vessel eventually arrived in London five days late. Mr _ Stephens Mis been making the acquaintance of the Covent Garden merchants during the past week. He has

reopened the office of the board, which is in a convenient position a few doors from the High Commissioner’s office, and very handy to Covent Garden, The rent of this, by the way, is so reasonable that it is found profitable to retain the room between the seasons.

In a weeks’ time Mr Stephens will be visiting Southampton. Avonmouth, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, and Hull, to all of which ports New Zealand apples will be consigned this season. There is one thing in favour of New Zealand growers this year, and that is the short crop in America. Other things being normal, very fair prices should be obtained, although it is not likely that the prices will come near the exceptional level of last season.

Mr and Mrs Stephens are at. present staying at the Strand Palace, but when Air Stephens returns from his tour of the ports it is likely they will seek more permanent quarters. DAIRY FARMERS’ BOARD.

Air H. E. Davis, of the Dairy Producers’ Board, has now had a fortnight in office. His task will not be an enviable one for some time to come. Only those who have come to London for the first time to do business have any idea of how overwhelming it can be. The effect is not unlike being set down in a foreign city without a knowledge of the language. Air Davis, having no previous knowledge of the dairy trade, will find it exceedingly embarrassing, for Tooley street and all it stands for is. a commercial sea, with currents, cross-currents, winds, and counter-winds, which even the most experienced man never quite understands. No doubt he will feel his way quietly, and if the board in New Zealarid is wise they will give him plenty of time to get to understand the human element of the market. It was this ignorance of human nature as applied to the trade which brought about the tragedy of last year. The board would therefore do well not to force their representative into any drastic action until he has had time to make friends with and study the viewpoints of all those who make up the army of distributors in this country.