Bulk Purchase Secrecy Criticised

Chronicle (Levin), 16 March 1948, Page 5

Bulk Purchase Secrecy Criticised

(N.Z.P.A.-

—Reuter.

Cotfjjriaht) \

Iteeoived Monday, 7 p.m, * LONDON, ilarcli 41. Gritieisnis are. heard from time to tinie in Britain about the Brttish lovernmont's refusal to state the prices being paid uiider the bulk pui •hase agreements. Mr. Btrachey (Food Minister), toi- instance, refused at a press conference to give the prices agieod on in the reeent coritract with Xew Zealand and they were not k-nown in London uiitil cabled from Wclling on. Tliese critieisnis are supported bv The Eeonomist whieh disljkes the secrecy about liriee.-, reeent Iv agreed oi; with Argentine and Russia. It als.i points ou t that while Ihe terms of th food eontract signed last Decembe: with Oauada were made known in Ottawa tlie Ministry of Foofl only gave the barest outJine of the agreemem in i.oudon. Vet tho reeent eontract with .he I hines was published in full by tlie British Treasury and Denuiark, a learer su;qdier than Oanada. "Is it fair to the Dominions," asks rhe Eeonomist, " to refuse to niake known oflicially to the British pnblic what they are giving in supp lying Br.'ain with incrc-asing (juantities of food it prices lower than those being paid for foreign supplies. " It also asks whether anyone is so naive as to believe that wlien British neg'otiators are dealing with, sav, New Zealand, the prices paid to Denmark for dairy produce are not known in detail on the New Zealand side. Do tlie British teams, it says, whisjier behind their hand to the Danes: "Don't tell tlie New Zealanders about this deal ? " lnformation about prices for bulk food contracts is freely available in tlie Dominions, tlie journal observes. Ii. also reinarks that 'c.oncealnient breeds uispicion that there is something to hide and that those responsible for the lmlk purehases are cultivating a vested interest in eoncealment. "That mav be an e.xtreme and unfair inference, but il will be -drawn until fullor an.! 'ranker inforniation about the prices oaid for Britain 's food and priinarv raw inateri'ils is regnlarlv provided.