N.Z. PRODUCE AT HOME

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14798, 11 November 1921, Page 5

N.Z. PRODUCE AT HOME

FAULTY MARKETING SELF-HELP POLICY URGED. AN INTERESTING SPEECH. (By Telegraph.—Specal to Times.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. In the debate on the Financial Statement in the House of Representatives this afternoon an interesting speech was made by Mr R. P; Hudson (Motueka), who condemned the careless and unsystematic marketing of New Zealand produce in Britain. The blame for the present state of affairs must be placed on the shoulders of the producer, who was extraordinarily lax in guarding his own interests. The producers were doing scarcely anything to ensure that they received a "square deal" at the other end. An ordinary business Arm that sold goods in such a fashion would stand condemned at once. The farmers could pusli their own interests without feeling any additional burden. An export tax of only Is a"ton on meat, butter and cheese would produce £13,000 a year, which could be'used for propaganda purposes, and this sum would enable the producers to have ketm business men watching New Zealand interests in the British market. Mr Hudson pointed to what organised producers had done in other gountries, and urged the farmers not to look to the Government for everything. BUTTER AND CHEESE. FLOODING THE> LONDON MARKET. ✓ A DISUIETING RUMOUR. (By Teletrraph.—Special lo Times.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr T. M. Wilford) to-day asked if the Prime Minister would ascertain whether there was any truth in a rumour that ' flic Imperial Government might dump stored stocks of butter and cheese, amounting to something like 30,000 tons, on the market at a time when it would very prejudicially affect the sale of bulter and cheese belonging to New Zealand producers. Mr Massey replied that he had communicated with the Imperial authorities already, and had notified the High Commissioner that he was doing so. He had expected a reply hefore to-day, but it had not yet arrived. PREFERENCE SUGGESTED. FOR NEW ZEALAND MEAT. MR MASSEY NOT HOPEFUL. (By Telegraph.—Special to Times.) WELLINIiTON, Thursday. "Seeing that the Tariff proposals make provision for preference to Britain, will the Prime Minister take step; to put before the British Government the position in which the dominion meat trade has been placed by tin: competition of min-BriMsh countries?" atked Mr Glenn Rangitikei . The Prrne Minister replied Ili.it he would be elad lo do so- lie had corresponded with the Imperial Government at length fin the same subject two years ago, but il was almost impossible to persuade Hie British Parliament lo do anything in (he way of taxing foodstuffs. Members would recollect what had happened when Mr Chamberlain proposed to impose a tax upon breadstuffs produced outside the Brilish Empire. There -was very little chance of anything in the nature of a preferential duty upon meat or any other foodstuffs being conceded by the British Parliament. He believed that something might be done in the way of special arrangements between the British Government and the New Zealand Government with relation to shipping freights. It might be possible lo arrange reduced freights on New Zealand meatThe matter has been discussed on one occasion by the Imperial Conference, and if he went to London again he would raise the question and have it discussed, even if nothing were (Tone.