TOOLEY STREET, LONDON

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 998, 14 June 1930, Page 29

TOOLEY STREET, LONDON

The New Home of Empire Dairies, Ltd. and 'Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd.

The general public of: Australia and New Zealand is, iii more ways that one, interested in Dairy Produce. Naturally this applies more, to the latter country than to the former, in that, of New Zealand’s agricultural industries, dairying has established probably the most important place. No one have any interest in the produce without having heard of Tooley Street. This is a famous thoroughfare of the dairying world, and it is here that we find established all of the important importers and merchants dealing in butter and cheesy. Their interests are not. by any manner of means confined to produce from Australia and New Zealand, but include shipments of produce from many foreign countries. The thoroughfare itself is full of interesting history. One of the most ancient business streets in London, it dates back, as a business thoroughfare handling agricultural produce, many centuries. Inquiry iuto some of the earlier history of the street reveals that its original name was fc>t. Olaf, a name obviously given by the Danes, who, many hundreds of years ago, made their wealth out of dealings in raw produce from their own country. Later the name became changed to St.. Olive, and we find French, Irish and Dutch merchants being represented. At this stage business began to develop, and instead of produce from one country coming in, wo find dealings in produce from the Continent and from Ireland. Just how the name became changed from St. Olive to Tooley is not made clear in any of the .old records. Comparatively small change has occurred m the nature of business from these ancient times, we still find agricultural produce from all countries being delivered and collected on the wharves which -riuge the street for, as is generally known, Tooley street runs parallel with the River Thames. The on L v change is the tremendously modernised methods of handling the vast quantities of cargo Which are daily received. When it is realised that Ray's Wharf, Ltd., who are virtually the present owners of all the wharves and buildings in the vicinity, handle B,oofi tons of raw produce every it will l>c realised what a vast enterprise’ it all is. Just recently there has been one more building added, and this 1 as very appropriately been named ‘‘Empire Building*. %y It is appropriate in that by far the greater percentage of agricultural produce now arriving at this part is of Empire origin. It is this building that Empire Dairies, Ltd., and Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., have their new homes. Lhe building itself stands at the head of the street °u a unique site, which admits of ah uninterrupted view from the front of the building straight away down the thoroughfare. Approaching the street one end, one sees this building standing out from its fellows. Indeed it does more than stand out, for it stands in an almost isolated position by virtue of the fact that the site is at the fork of ♦wo roads, both converging at the head of Tooley Street. one were imaginative enough, one couid say that this building was standing guard over the street, and it is this idea of it that we should carry away with us, because, broadly speaking, this is the osaet function of the two important firms which are now operating from these offices.

Empire Dairies, Ltd., is the result of successful negotiations between the major dairying interests in Australia and New Zealand. It was rightly conceived that the time had come for combined action in the marketing of the Empire’s produce. For some considerable time now there has. ..been a very apparent growth of the combined buying movement. Never was there a better illustration of the old-parable of the father demonstrating to his sons the power behind a bundle of faggots as compared with the power in each faggot individuallythan has been provided by the modern methods of buying produce adopted in England. The effect of what is commonly called “ one-man buying ” is perfectly obvious. Competition for goods is stagnant, and sellers who have up to now been acting singly have to meet a tremendously powerful combine individually. There is only one way to save us from comparative disaster, and that is to combat this movement by a combined selling power. No one can have any quarrel with the buyers more or less amalgamating, but we shall be foolish if we do not meet this new movement by similar measures. Then, again, we find that our produce is in the most rigorous competition with butters from all manner of foreign countries, most of them very close to the (Tld Country. The geographical position means that butter can be made one day, shipped the next, and sold to tho retailers.in England on the third. The quality is not there, but owing to the tremendous advantage the foreigner is able to get away with.it. * We are more than Holding our own in the field of quality, it being considered that there Is no butter superior to that made in New Zealand and in but we are not, as yet, getting the full value for our efforts. To meet this foreign competition, and to gain greater public demand for Empire goods,: a great deal of service has beer, rendered by the various produce boards of the Dominion concerned, but it is useless buildiffg up a demand for the produce if, for some portion of the year, supplies are not available. By dint of linking forces, as has been done in Empire Dairies, Ltd., supplies can be-regulated and fed on to the market in such a manner as to ensure that there will always be a supply for the public which is beginning to demand our particular proThe new movement is generally welcomed, it being stated by those agents handling our goods that the industry, is so important with both Australia and New Zealand that a uniform selling policy must be adopted to save friction and confusion. Lastly, it is hoped that in time the day of the market speculator will be over. Produce from our Dominions, has, in the past, provided the material for many amazing market manipulations. The result has been reflected in fictitious booms to be followed by devastating slumps. Neither the trader, agent, merchant nor producer wants either the one or the other, .and wo sincerely hope that by combined action, on the part of Empire Dairies, Ltd., and Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., the British public will now be able to buy good quality produce at ~a reasonable price which will return for the overseas producer that .just reward for his labours to which he is entitled.