The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1913 TRADE WITH HULL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2, 3 September 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1913 TRADE WITH HULL.

During a visit to the Port of Hull the other day the' Hon. T. Mackenzie, New Zealand’s High Commissioner, was entertained at a luncheon at the Pacific Club in that notable east coast port. Speaking in reply to a toast Mr Mackenzie referred to our frozen 1 meat and produce trade, and remarked! especially on the question, which ho' properly said was one of the greatest' importance. He expressed the opinion that though at the present time the total distribution of New Zealand’s produce was almost confined to London, >n these days of keen competition it was undesirable for the whole of the produce to go through one centre. They wanted to minimise the - cost of distribution, and to lesson the deterioration that was caused in the handling' if the goods. Mull, Mr Mackenzie pointed out, was the natural port for. a population of over eleven millions. If the produce was shipped to Hull there was no reason why the present high rates of insurance should continue, for there would he little or no. damage on arrival, and it would he handled with great care. Those considerations and savings seemed to

leave a margin of from 5 to 7 per cot

for thorn to work upon if the stuff were landed there as against London. He wondered if tlie people serv-, I'd from Hull would pay higher pri-: cos for the undoubtedly much higher j quality of food. New Zealand’s unitton, lamb, butter, and cheese occupied the highest position in price, that was obtained for produce land-1 ed in Great "Britain, except for hotter. Ho wondered, therefore, who-1 ther they had people in their district, who would pay the same price as was j now obtained in London. 'The higher qualify was not so eagerly sought for

by the mill operatives, but there were the miners, who would be prepared to pity a reasonable price. The link taut was required' to bring the produce was the shipping connection, 'there was the margin of from 5 to i per cent,, and it was a fair assumption that that benefit would be shared equally by the producer and the consumer. The question of a subsidy came in, and be said he understood Australia contributed £BOO per trip to the vessels that came. In his ■opinion that was not an excessive charge, and they had to 6 st against j that the share in the economics he had mentioned. Ho was prepared to go into the question of shipping when ho had an opportunity to lay the] whole case before the Ministry in New Zealand for their final decision. The High Commissioner in concluding his speech said he sincerely hoped that it might he possible for Zealand to come in for a share of the great trade Hull is now doing