DAIRY PRODUCE FREIGHTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1766, 3 June 1913, Page 4

DAIRY PRODUCE FREIGHTS.

. 4 UNFAIR COMPETITION ALLEGED. Unfair competition by reason of thei* being granted preferential freights by certain direct lines of steamers was alleged against Uu> National Dairy Association by Mr. J. B, M'Ewan at tho meeting of tho council of tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Mr. M'Ewan stated that the National Dairy i Association had originally been formed for educational purposes, mainly or wholly, in order, to develop the dairying industry. While those were its activities, it obtained certain concessions from the overseas shipping companies in tho matter of freights. So long as the association was an educational concern, trading exporters of dairy produce raised no objection to their obtaining concessions from the fhipping conipnniw. But tho National Dairy Association had developed into a trading concern, and tho ' lower freights required from it gave it an enormous advantage in 'competition with otli'T traders. Recently this agreement which tho National Dairy Association had wifli the'shipping companies had been renewed, aud he thought tlio Cham-' ber of Commerce should take some action in the matter. A small committeo might be set up to make investigations, and report to the couincil, and then the council could decido whether or not anything should bo done. .. Mr. C, W. Jones said ho sympathisfdwith Mr. M'Ewan in his difficulty, but ho. doubted whether the question was oua [ which the Chamber should touch., It/waS , rather a difference between rival' trading • concerns, which should be settled by tho people affected, possibly by the formation of another association.

Mr. M'Ewan- moved that a committee, consisting of Mosses. J. -Macintosh, W. G< Duthie, and W. B. Lees, be set up to tnko evidence and rejxirt to the council. Tho motion was carried.