THE DREADFUL MIDDLEMAN.

Waikato Times, Volume XLII, Issue 3391, 24 March 1894, Page 5

THE DREADFUL MIDDLEMAN.

In the course of an article under the above heading in the Sydney Mail as to the obstacles which at present exist, and will hate to be removed before the colonial fei^|rtev; 0D w i 8! Ijpwd out] that Hhe|chief ■ |il|h||dreadfd) middleman, whoseinterest : bM&pi tCour*o ;jjfc xjkeep producer and?;; apajland as unsown $j f ' one another as possible. In ttie''course' of the article the writer quotes the remarks of Mr G. Wilson Hall, a gentleman who has recently returned to Victoria from Britain, where lie has been actively gaged in making 1 inquiries into trade pfactices,Jand ;whoi etron gly formation in London of a product*. Hksayt:—! LCI* %f\f The reasons that led me to give this matter serious consideration were—First, the difficulty, in some instances impossibility, of obtaining' Victoriam products in England. Second, the shameful adulteration practiced by agents or others. Thirdly, the injustice .oJbthe middlemen >9 r '' < r ! n nqt.seljinglqur products as §iot<man]|'* Fourthly, :the\ iWorbitans prices the]middleman, as .compwed^ithjwba^he paid^f, Let me in this letter refer to butier; as that 'seems to be one of our leading exports, and an article much sought after in England. The butter that we exhibited in the Yictotian,Court.at r thelmperialJnstitute was of splendid quality, and I think I may safely say that all the butter from Victoria is so good that we can defy competition? ?This;butter jva'S'sampled'at theij [courtly; ; yafjous|competeni all declared it excellent Then came the question—"Wh<sre can this be bought ?" We wave not able to say. I searched many parts of London subsequently, butgould rl'ndfno»pJace where Victorian;butter was and,: sold, I procured ' several! catalogues?" fromrmerchan.ts and , large warehouses; but t.He article" was'iiot mentioned Mono.- Jj think this, bears out :my - first' '-'Second, 4dulteraf ion? f When j,tjie g'adges rastejdr the' Yictorian Gutter they;? said they 'wereUoCableJto buy butter of that quality, in London. Where, then, did the Victorian butter go? The question of |taargarine for mixing purposes pas (frequently referred to, but peihapslbe a diffioullmatter to prove a ; /case where conviction would follow, and iho person to prosecute. My third reason a«»|the injustice done to the colony and in not having the ,credit of producing I was informed on good authority "that , much of -the Victorian butter was sold as "Danish" or "Brittany," with the. object of confining the shipments to wanUoutsidersio, l|e|in¥c|Si)elioD, tntlhroliuf pblf off|tKe%rlck of oMinlngiVicl TOrjjSi butted direct "ring"'of buyers thus monopolised the article, and compelled consumers to trade only with them. I also ascertained that the Victorian brands were obliterated, the no, credit ior placing, excellent |buiter]on the English mUet;" K Mf tofel'hHeason referred to the high prices as compared with what the producer got. He obtains about 9d per lb. after paying expenses, and the same butter brings in the retail -market inlrigland, (when you'can get it), liter Imperial Institute couldjtave been sold jl bl&ed U. «»j>rjce. » who gets the difference? Are the butter factories and producers here content with this fair cent. ing to pay the farmer 3d or 4d per gallon for his milk. _