WELLINGTON NEWB.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 1352, 15 June 1907, Page 6

WELLINGTON NEWS.

(Telegraphed by Our Special Reporter.) The Dairy Industry. WELLINGTON, June 14. Mr J. G. Harkneßs, secretary of tbe National Dairy Association, who returned from a visit to Sydney yesterday, had an opportunity while there of discussing some matters of importance to the dairy industry with those in authority. Through ,the courtesy of the New Zealand Tourist Office in Sydney he was enabled to interview the Hon. S. W. Moore, the Minister for Mines and Agriculture. The dairying industry was discussed in its varying phases. Mr Harkness was principally concerned about finding out the view of the- New South Wales Department, so far as the compulsory grading of produce is concerned, ,and to endeavour, if possible, to induce the Minister to bring his State into line with New Zealand. Mr Moore admitted that compulsory grading in New Zealand had ben productive of eminently satisfactory results, but unfortunately there was a class in New South Wales which objected to the adaptation of the system, and the Government, probably as a matter of expediency, had allowed things to go on in the old way. This, he said to a Post reporter to-day, was to be regretted* because the Produce Exchange in London had passed a resolution declining! to accept grading certificates as final in future, arid that where the buyer has reason to refuse ' a certificate he may submit the matter to arbitration. In plain English this means that a "forward " sale will be greatly interfered with, afad if something is not donfe by the Government to counteract the effect of this move, and have its certificates generally recognised, producers will be placed in a very unenviable position, and- where values have dropped after "forward" sales liave been effected may on the slightest pretext be forced to accept much lesser rates than they had originally bargained for. Therefore, because the Australian States interested in the dairying industry fail to do the right thing, New Zealand, through mo fault of* her own, is made a sufferer. Mr. Harkness has brought the master under the noticeof the Hon. R. McNab (Minister for Agriculture), and he suggests that the Department of Industries and Commerce should get in touch with the High Commissioner and request him to get the Produce Exchange to discriminate between the certificates of .quality given in New Zealand and those from the Commonwealth. HOj quite recognises that occasionally a line of produce may get away from the cpl-. ony in a condition not quite up to the standard, but these are only the except tions which prove the rule. He thinks the Government should immediately appoint a competent grader to act in Lon-. don as adjudicator in cases where differences of opinion arise between buyer and seller. He would be an indeperid-s ent authority,, free from any outside influence. Mr. Harkness also inquired into the rates of freight which will probably be charged Australian shippers next season. No arrangement had been made up to the present, and the general opinion was that rates considerably in advance of those ruling last year would be charged. ,m . • ' Police Pay. - • •'' To-night's Post says the Minister of Justice intends to submit to Parliament a proposal to increase" the pay of a number of the police force. It is understood that this step is being taken on the recommendation of the Commissioner (Mr. Dinnie), who considers that owing to the increased cost of living ai<» the increase of duties, cast upon the police the time has arrived when an addition should be made to their pay. Under the present scale constables rer ceive fr,om 7s to '9s a day, sergeants from 10s to 11s 6d, station sergeants from lls 6d to 13s, and detectives from 9s 6d to 14s 6d. We believe it £i also the intention of the Minister to make a similar proposal with reference to the pay of prison warders. An Appointment. Mr. G. S. Maben, secretary of the Wellington Electric Light arid Power Company, returns to London to take up an appointment there on the company's business being taken over by the corporation. Mr. Maben, who has managed the -affairs of the company in Wellington during the past five years, leaves for London in September next.