WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1926, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

]).\ |RY CONTROL PROBLEM. (Special to “ Guardian. ) M'ELLINGTOX, April 5. ,\ fierce controversy continues in respect of the Dairy Control problem, and the Chairman of the Hoard <.M.r William, Grounds.) has been kept busily employed compiling and publishing official statements, but these documents ill essence draw red herrings across the -scent. They eainouliage the issue hut not very ingeniously. -Hr Grounds in his latest effusion gives a list of London importers willing to establish credits with the Hoard, and raises a whoop of triumph that the question of finance is now definitely heyoml doubt. It may bo remarked that the importers have no option m the matter if they wish to conserve tlieir trade connections under absolute control. It does not by any means indicate that they support control: and there is a considerable danger in this mode of procedure for the importers hold the whip hand. It is within the I nils of possibility that these importers who will have a common interest under the Hoard's sdlicme, to co-operate and organise for their own interests, ‘ind as an organised body ii would be within their power to stop credit say ill tile middle ol the season ami so cause no cud of trouble and inconvenience to exporters. Lnitctl action on tlieir pun. or co-operation, is inevitable. otherwise, urged <m by a desire to appear extra smart, the Hoard may impose restrictions or conditions which would be irritating, and there would be no check- unless the importers are organised. We mat lake if for granted that the importers will form some kind ol combination, end ns lliev will be finding the money for the piper they will naturally wish to rail the time. If ever absolute control comes into operation, and that is very much in doubt, it will not be long before the importers are dominating the Hoard. Toolev Street is too clover for the Grotinds-noodlelknv-Hriisli combination. Hut those who object to absolute control, object on principle. The details of the Hoard's arrangements for oxorei control tin not conic* into the question. Those who object to absolute control are the whole of the proprietary concerns, and a big ueiccntage <>! the co-o|H*rativo concerns. These objectors believe, and rightly so. that they are better able to conduct their own business in their own way than the Dairy Control Hoard can do it for them. They have had vcais ol

experience in conducting their littstncss. and have built up trade conneelions,. confidence and goodwill,, which they wish to retain and develop in I heir own way. free from auv syndication or socialistic interlercnco. In this they arc not asking lor a privilege but demanding their common inherent- rights of free citizens in a tree country. Theirs is a tried and settled policy, the development of years ol experience; the Hoard s poliev is experimental and siteculativc, and propounded In- men lacking in the absolute coot ml which in essence is political interference, is inimical to the public welfare. The various Control Hoards are nothing more than expensive commercial excrescences, and as time goes on they will become saturated with polities and so become a. menace. Hut absolute control ol the dairy industry will not come into force, all the straws afi'ected by the winds of public opinion point that way. SOLDIER SETTLEM ENTS. The settlement of soldiers mi iho land though humanitarian in < oneeptiou and well-intended was bungled from, the outset, because bunglers saturated with nolitieal motives nut the scheme in onoration. Ihe result mix, been that Ihe soldiers who have been settled on the land have hecume tinvictims of a crude- ill-considered .•■attic mem policy. The oconoiv.ic aspect of the problem failed to receive, the ai-

U-Hlion A should have boon given. and to-day in- iiri‘ regaled wall stories of In.,ivy los.-cs mul groat sufferings. 'l'ho initial mistake was the fancy price paid !’or tli(> land on which soldiers were settled: even such men who lion till t land with their own money made similar mistakes. The Minister of hands (Hon. A. IX APl,cod) told a depute!ion of the Returned Sididers’ Association that the Department had before it immhers of eases where men had put in £SOOO and £6OOO of their own monev and who were to-day just about out. Tie had that, day seen a man who had put £IO.OOO oi his own money into his land, and there was anparentlv no means of saving him. None of the lending departments of the Stale, even if they had the money available, could save that sort ol man. That is (lie position to-day and it is a deplorable one. an,,-, solution ol the problem is a difficult one and will never he solved hy politicians. RTBAPPOIXTIXO TRADE RETFRXS fOur Commercial Correspondent.) AVELI.I XGTOX. April 7. The export and import returns for February are now available and they make very unpalatahlo reading. 'I he exports for the month totalled £4.331.287 as compared with .£8,330,203 in T'eliruary. 1925. a decrease <>l £4.004.!)7li or about 50 per cent. Taking the two months of January and February the exports totalled C 9.309.20.8 as against £15.032,322, a shrinkage of £5.003.054, equal to over 33 1-3 per cent. The imports last T'eliruary totalled C1.20n.-ldl. as compared with £4.037,824, an increase of £852.007. and for the two months the figures were £8.951 .247. against £B.B 16,206. an increase of £101.981. Taking the. twelve months to the end of T'eliruary. the exports totalled .C40.000.21S and the imports £52.501.388, so that the imports exceeded the exports by C 2.082.170. Rut such a twelve monthly comparison does not give a fair or accurate view of the position because the figures take in parts 'of two seasons. It would he much more interesting to coniine the comparison to the produce year which begins on October 1. til any rate, that is the pediod adopted by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce for its statistics. To the end of February, five months of the produce year were covered, and the figures show that the exports for that period totalled C 20.440.280 against C 20.587.820 in the corresponding five months of the 1924-25 season. There was thus a contraction amounting to 06,147.539. The imports subjected to tlie same coniarison show €23,172.847. as compared witli £21,206.110. an increase of £1,936.734. In the five months of 1924-25, the exports exceeded the imports hy £5.351.712. while in the five months of 1925-20 the imports exceeded the exports by £2.732.561, o.uite a change and a very significant one. Taking the two months January and February, the exports ot wool were valued at £3.626.047. as compared with £7.004.705 in the two months of 1925: butter £2.041.890. against £2,838.356; lamb £895.853. against. £1.651.058: mutton £497.205. against £720,138 ; ltoef £60.387. against £103.850 ; sheepskins £137.108, against £197.538; tallow £108.082, against

£155,629 and timber £60,897, against ( £79,907. The nine items show a total 1 oT £7,427,629, against £12,759,547, a shrinkage of £5.311,018. It has been freely stated that the exports for tlie current year will show a shrinkage of , £12,000,000 and from the figures at j present available this seems to lie an under-estimate. The principal single item increase in the imports is that of motor vehicles, which in the two months accounted for £830,928, as compared with £711,665 in tho corresponding two months of last year. The ‘ number of motor vehicles imported in the two months was 5.202, against 1 3.275. an increase of 1.927. In Jannary and February 88 motor vehicles i were, on the average, imported during each of the 59 days, involving an ex- I penditure of approximately £15,000 1 per day. Taking motor vehicles, tires ! and tubes for same, and materials and parts, itlie imports were valued at £987,598. and to pay for this the exports of frozen mutton amounting to £197.265, frozen beef £60.387. sheepskins £137.208. tallow £108,082, and timber £60,897 were insufficient hy £123.759. Last year the exports of mutton and tallow were more than sufficient to cover the imports of the two months of that year. 1 hese tacts and figures point very forcefully to the development of a serious economic situation, and il not faced boldly and intelligently it may become a very serious situation. The projected loan ot £5.000,000. to be placed on the London market by the Government will case the situation slightly, but "hat is really wanted is it drastic reduction in the imports. X.Z. WOOL SAI/E3. An Australian buyer who lias at- ' tended the Xew Zealand wool sales and Australia does buy a little of our ■ wool for the woollen mills of tho oounI try--has expressed tho opinion that tin' sales here are conducled as <•ffi--1 riently as they are in Australia, but - be p-,its his huger on the weak spots ' of our system, ffi- says there are too f many selling centres in Xew Zealand. ' and too many small firms of selling f brokers, who have, not the facilities - ami conveniences to show or handle - the wool to Last advantage. These s lire <ortairily weak points hut their s rentedv rather rests with the buyers - for they have merely to say that they I will not attend a I cert ain selling eenc* fres. and sales at those centres must - cease. The wool growers at Gisborne have been trying for some years to >, hold sales in their town, but the wool t buyers decline to attend, and there y the matter rests. It is difficult to see o how the number of soiling centres can if be reduced now. but they should not i- be increased.