WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 December 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

REPRESENTATION IN LONDON TRADE COMMISSIONER. (Our Special Correspondent).

WELLINGTON, Efle 6. Business men here are not greatly interested in the proposal to appoint a Trade Commissioner to r.Qppesept the Dominion in London. Rightly or wrongly, the majority of tjiem Jipfd.that fji.e States’ intervention in the ordjnpry matters of commerce lias not hitherto been beneficial to either the producer or the consumer. They are not, they wish it to be understood, referring to the necessary war measures, such as the adjustment of the wool commandeer and of supplies to the Imperial Government during a tjme of crisis. Those were justified by exceptional circumstances and though they were not, in the opinion of these critics carried out with marked ability, they were excusable expedients. But the appointment of a Trade Commissioner, independent of the High Commissioner’s office, would be a costly and hazardous experiment, they say, and not likely to be attended by

satisfactory results. ' NEW MARKETS. ■ Of course this criticism does not east any doubt upon Sir Thomas MacKenzio’s suitability for the position to which the people of Balclutha would appoint him. There is, in fact, a general agreement that Sir Thomas Mackenzie’s ripe experience and wide knowledge of commercial affairs on the other side of the world should be turned to account in the interests of the Dominion if possible. But two independent representatives in London, perhaps bolding diametrically opposite views on important points, is not regarded as an arrangement that would make for harmony or for profitable commercial expansion. The Prime Minister has not yet given any indication of his views on tlie subject, but he has emphasised more than once the need for the extension of the commercial activities of the High Commissioner’s office and it is possible the addition of a travelling Trade Commissioner to the Dominion’s London establishment is in his mind. j GOOD NEWS FOR THE FARMER. Mr J. C. Cooper, tho managing director of the. Wellington Farmers’ Meat Company, who has jnst returned from a visit, to Epgland and Europe, struck | an optimistic note when addressing a meeting of farmers at Masterton on Sa- , tiirday. “For'years to come” lie said, j “we are going to get big prices for our . meat and dairy produce. The produc- | ers of the Dominion are going to have a good time. As soon as the existing stocks at Home are exhunsted there j will be an improvement in the price of coarse wools. Unless there is a revotn | tion at Home pr some other unforeseen serious trouble, you are going to get prices for pour products you do not dream of to-day/’ -Mr Cooper’s words obtain special significance from his close association with the Overseas markets, and though city men express themselves more cautiously they admit that the outlook Is less gloomy than it appeared to be a week or two ago. “A CERTAIN STRINGENCY.” The Prime Minister is expected back from liis flying visit to the North today and meanwhile lie is preceded by an outline of his. interview with a representative of the ‘Auckland Star” in which he is credited with saying that the Dominion’s “good balances in London” are now practically exhausted and that until the new exports are sold there must be a certain stringency. Naturally this frank statement of the position is being seized ’upon by Mr Massey’s critics as an admission that the Government has been over-running the constable and that the “certain stringency” is likely to prove a very acute shortage of money. But the financial authorities do not take this alarming view of the situation and agree with Mr Massey that the resources of the Dominion are capable of bearing all thp strain placed upon them. The shortage of money is.a passing phase in tlie recovery from tlie effpets of tlie war. *