NO CO-OPERATION

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1933, Page 2

NO CO-OPERATION

INTERESTS JEOPARDISED AGENTS-GENERAL PROTEST LONDON, August 17. Following tile dispatch by the Australian Agents-General of stronglyworded reports to their f -respective Governments concerning the-lack of cooperation between themselves and the Commonwealth, Messrs. L. Hill (South ' Australia), J. Ferguson (New South I Wales), W. 'Linton (Victoria), and Sir Hal Colebatch (Western ■ Australia), held a further meeting to-day to consider the position. This meeting arose primarily from the announcement of the re-assembling of the Wheat Conference.. The ■ Agents-General,' whose first intimation of the- conference was the newspaper" statement, say they have never been, informed .or consulted about such decisions,.’in spite of .them being accredited and. responsible representatives. They emphasise the fact that the wheat : question is-vital to their respective States. The Agents-General. instance the arrival of oranges by the Orontes last week, declaring that they had not- been informed, whereas good, forward propaganda would have resulted in better prices being obtained, particularly when, having lost the New Zealand market, Australia needed Britain’s. It is claimed tha& Australian oranges are superior to the South African, but South Africa had propaganda. available. The Agents-General complain also that apple publicity arrived five weeks after Mr Bruce’s official opening of the season. They insist on'‘their /proper recognition, and declare that full co-operation between the Commonwealth and States and producers is essential to secure a • continuity of markets in Britain, on which Australian producers are almost entirely dependent.