ALL BRITISH BREAKFAST TABLE.

Shannon News, 14 August 1925, Page 4

ALL BRITISH BREAKFAST TABLE.

NO GREAT ENTHUSIASM. (Received Wednesday 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 11. In referring to the Economic Commission’s recommendations, Sir James Alien said: "if the Imperial Government spends £650*000 on educational publicity and insists on the marking and labelling of goods with the country of origin, the result inevitably will be beneficial to the Dominions and will give hosts of consumers an opportunity of buying Empire goods. New Zealand meat supplies are adequate the year round and as long aa th Dairy Board is effectively functioning the butter and cheese supplies will be continuous.’ .

Meat importers welcome the proposed expenditure on research regarding chilled beef, because the low umperature research station at Cambridge, which up to the present has oeen doing excellent work in this direction, is greatly handicapped by the smallness of the funds available.

Proposals for marking Empire goods meet with the general approval, though it is pointed out that the Australian and New Zealand egg trade is likely to suffer if each egg is marked with the country of origin, for housewife and tea shops are hardly likely ot ouy eggs which bear visible evidence chat they are eight weeks’ old, consequently, their sale will be chiefly to ih e cake makers and pastrycooks, «vho cannot afford to pay 2d a-piece ivliolesale, which was the price rea.ised last season. Enquiries amongst handlers of Dominion produce failed to discover any great enthusiasm about the Economic Committee’s recommendations. This indifference is apparently due to the fact that the traders generallly, as a result of previous experiences, have not much faith in Government interference in business and also the need of assistance does not at present appear urgent, as , with the exception of frozen beef, practicality all Dominion produce has been selling remarably well and making a fine price this season and there is no reason to anticipate any decrease in the demand unless something exceptional happens The advertising scheme was regarded as likely to prove helpful in popularising Empire products. •Mr Ben H. Morgan, chairman of the Council of the British Empire Producers’ Organisation, in criticising the recommendation says: "Producers would.fmuch have preferred the committee to have reviewed more practical and immediate problems , with which the whole position is involved, like grading, packing, warehousing, shipping, storage and selling methods, also co-operative selling and marketing., The committee could ..practically assist most of these by giving a lead as to a general policy, rendering financial assistance in the form of bounties or grants to specific industries. This would be extremely valuable, especially to the younger and untried and those bearIy surviving industries as the result of foreign competition. Producers will welcome the research proposals. We consider the recommendation to spend sixty-five percent on advertising out of proportion. Our first attention should be directed to grading, packing and practical marketing, to ensure ample supplies coming forward in a continual stream, one part of the Empire supplementing another in different seasons, then should come intensive advertising.” Mr Cramsil gave his opinion .that the recommendations should be welcomed by the Dominions as a spur on producers to improve production, grading and packing, thereby enabling consumers in Britain to secure a guaranteed regular supply of Empire products at a price well within their purchasing pow r er. He emphasised the necessity for a thorough scientific research into refrigeration. He hoped the proposed committee would favourably consider the question of cold storage in the United Kingdom and ocean freights. He declared freight assistance for transporting stud stock would give the Dominions an opportunity to bring their flocks and herds to the highest standard of quality. He was sure ah advertising campaign could educate millions to the necessity for and desirability of demanding Dominion products where homegrown lines were not available,