The Chrønicle LEVIN THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1916. STATE DESPATCHES.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 13 July 1916, Page 2

The Chrønicle LEVIN THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1916. STATE DESPATCHES.

J .ii- ujuomcle Jb 111 rece.pt of pim.ev. i-upi.s oi uw.>patcue 0 Hum tiio oovornoiL. Al'IV (oil LlOiJilli Ol CuLi.IH.'C. -U.instus and J.ime.'h; to uie liiitiau G.-wrmnont's ' ol State for tiiu Colonies." from these we note iiuit the liiecretary of State enquired eariy this year, on behalf of the Board of Trade, whether any acuon has been or is likoiy to be taken on the report of the Whipping Companies Freights and Charges Committee, which was laid before the New Zealand Parliament in October, IDI4. 'Ilie Prime .Minister (to whom Lord Liverpool referred the despatch) has cent ffis Excellency tile following information on the subject Increase oi' Freiglite.— No action has been taken on this subject up- to the present, the Government being of the brtme opinion as the Committee—namely that the increased charge is to some extent justified, but that the increment should be withdrawn as soon as the conditions again become normal. Hemp the prices obtained for 'New Zealand hemp have advanced so largely durifig the last few months that they are now considerably .higher than, bejfore the war. There is consequently no pressing necessity for governmental action in the direction of assisting this industry. The New Zealand Trade .Representative in Canada was, -however, asked some time ago to look cajefuliy into tile question ol . whether the issue of a circular to possible users of New Zealand hemp in Canada would ba likely to produce good resuits, and a reply on this point is expected; any time. •Ships for Export Trade. —The Government has conducted extensive negotiations with the Imperial Government and also with the Governments of Australia and Canada, with a view to obtaining as many ships as possible—especially those witli refrigerated cargospace—for carrying the export trade of this Dominion. Arrangements were made for the discharge of certain steamers in Egypt in order that they might return thence direct to to .New Zealand. This Government has also borne part of the cost of bringing some .steamers to this Dominion in ballast instead of waiting for return freight. Tho Imperial Government was asked to detain 'New Zealand ships for as short a period as possible, and to in every way facilitate their return to this Dcn minion. Thy Australian Government was requester to abstain from requisitioning ships that would otherwise b* available for New Zealand .traffic: and in many other directions efforts have been put forth to enable - our export trade to be carried on with the least

possible interruption. The result of these endeavours has been that, although there is at the present time a considerable (shortage of steamers, there has never at any time been, a really serious interruption to the trade, and I it is expected that within two or three montlis normal conditions (in respect of freight space will have been resumed. Export of Cheese.—The action indicated in the previous paragraph has ' applied to some extent to the cheeso industry, with the result that at no time has there been a serious inter- ' j ruption of the export of this commodity. The question of establishing a permanent Board of Inquiry regarding the industries and commerce off New Zealand will, it is expected, be oubmitted to Parliament during the com ing session. The information above set out will give settlers and others a goo3i purview of the work devolving upon the executive of this dominion in safeguarding the business and other interests of the communities. Such labours go unnoted, for various reasons, until in the circuit of time comes the opportunity for semi-publication in the form of a White Paper tor use of Parliamentarians and such representatives of the public as may be selected. Thocopies now before us cover sixty-two foolscap pages of print, and cover a most comprehensive range of subjects. Unfortunately, we have neither space nor time to enable us to review them at length j but by the way of one further reference to the quality of unostentatious yet most-desirable exercise of sound judgment on important proposal (as shown in the despatches) we indicate the Government's action in regard to the restrictions placed upon ireie importation of livestock itrom abioad. In 1915 the British Board of Agriculture wished to have these restrict:ons minimised, if not removed, and a despatch bearing upon the matter was sent to 'the Governor of New /joaland. Under date of 14th August lust, Lord Liverpool replied: 'The Gov. ernment oi New Zealand recognise the desirability of some common line of action, but they do not at present feei justified in concurring entirely in the course proposed by the Board,, though they fully appreciate the completeness and effectiveness of the steps taken in Great Britain to stamp out the outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease. The freedom of New Zealand from most of the serious infections and contagious diseases affecting live-stock provides, in the opinion of my Ministers, a very strong incentive for ensuring its maintenance. The proposal put forward by the Board, that the subject might with advantage be discussed at the next Imperial Conference, is considered a good one, and the Government of New Zealand concur suggestion. The criticism offered bv the lioard as to tne severity of New Zealand's present restrictions has been noted, and consideration is being given to the question of immediately modifying them ill certain directions. The decision ot the Government, when arrved at. wil' lie notified by the High Commissioner for New Zealand to sliipjwrs of Jivestock and others interested persons in tne United Kingdom." In selecting the foregoing extracts we have kept in view the affairs that may be of special interest to sett'ers in this country : but the extracts must j not be taken as indicative of the mo in subjects of communication between the Qovernnor and the British Uabinet's' representative.' Those run through the whole gamut oif State. . commercial audi social events, and- no doubt there have been many important communications that do not appear even in the comprehens'-ve reprint, with which we have been favoured.