MANIPULATING THE MARKET.

Otaki Mail, 21 August 1922, Page 4

MANIPULATING THE MARKET.

♦ HUASON 1-oil BUTl'liH FTUCEtj FLUCTUATING. OPIiHA'HONS FN SYDNEY. Wellington, August 16. A gentleman in Sydiiej is suspected by me member lor unaki ui being the authoi oi rapid fluctuations in butter pnees which have caused tlie producers much perturbation tins season. Mi Field made this allegation when commenting on a document presented to the House by the Minister oi Agriculture, containing details oi negotiations winch led to last season's arrangement lor ilxing butter prices in New Zealand. Mr Lysnar had greeted tlie report with a strong plea that the Government should appoint a. Trade j Commissioner or provide some other means ol improved conditions in Loudon so as io assist producers. He regarded the data sent by the High Commissioner as inadequate, I THADE COMMISSIONED I-Oil DOMINION. j Mr Field, in supporting these sug- \ gusiiuiis, considered something belie! j was required to be done than .was! done by the High Commissioner's oIH- j cers in Loudon, Uur interest* were I not sufficiently ettred lor, He had j been inlornied Uiat a highly uilsaus-1 lactory position existed in regard to I New Zealand's' butler shipments to j i-.ngiand.' one man in Sydney was J able io dictate to the slapping com-] panics what butter they should ship iii.-iH New Zealand and when, they -ii'inld take ii. He ordered one steamer lu ship and when titat single cargu arrived there was a shortage. I Then he would order iour siiips, and j down went tiie Lunuon j,-rices. Cos-J sibly Hie I'remiet would know loi whom lie was referring. ; NOT I NKNOWN IN NEW ZEALAND. I Mr Massey: 1 think il is a gentle-* man uoi unknown in New Zealand. | Air Field: Yes, and I am told there;!

j are people in .New Zealand wlio arc, ! alt"-. .;. '.' •' know, .tin. they „re making! [huge profits. Tlie market is bornei 'down b\ ovtu-supply in ilie Old Conn-1 j iry, and men supplies got short, and j ihese gentlemen sell. Winn, we want [ is an even inn ui juices, instead ol I which ihey go z.ig-zugging up and J down, enabling these gentlemen io | make huge sums at [lie expense oi 1 ilie producers, nis a scandalous state! ui iliings, and I hope the Government! will ascertain tlie position and endea-1 vour to pri'veni lis continuance. .; UI I I Id! POOL ADVOCATED. j Mi Hockley advocated a bul-ter pool! loi New Zealand. • Mi M'ii-M-y sta'ed he laid been ere- i dibly informed in London that the market loi dairy produce was hxed by a •small conimiilec ol Tooley .Street. which wa.- the neucliiuarteitj ol the dairy produce buyers, similarly as Siuitldield was witli the meat operators.

FINING I'HICES. Dverj inornirig this sub-committee, generally three men, met and fixed ilie I'liif- These pailieulara were posted on a door and the price mentioned became the current price until rurther notice, li was an exceedingly dilheult problem and al the ■ present momeni lie war not prepared to make any suggestion to deal with it, but until the daii.v producers were able [o do something, the situation would be unsatisfactory. As far as he could learn, there was nevei very much competition wiili Tooley .'Street, but he believed in distributing consignments among other ports, such as Hull and Manchester. Iteplymg io tlie suggestion to apuoim a Trade Commissioner in Lonlou. Hon. \v. Nosworthy emphasised bat it was very easy to work with the llgh Commissioner's olliee It was ol io use having divided control, The Jair\ Association and Co-operative S, - sue iatioii had a. representative in .olidoii, and ii these- 1 two were not j ible t<p acquaint iheii members with j 'elial'le advice as ■•> the market, it vniild be much more difficult for a ! [Tade Commissioner. INQITISIES BLJNG MADE. As loi the suggested dawy pool, j! i ui- open i«ii- ;hc dairy farmei.- in fail niij line with die meat producers, and I • ii- e having .-e*::e-i theii difiierences. , . . . . . o work in eoiijunction with the ma-i hiuery already in motion [or the disiosal ■->', oiii meat Mr Nosworthy j .dded Unit he knew die man io whom I ,li Field had alluded, and he was j laking inquiries into wiiat was heing j oiu undei ground and above ground- ! • iva- not a question that could bo j eah with in a niotnent.