OUR FOODSTUFFS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 January 1919, Page 7

OUR FOODSTUFFS.

| BRITISH 'KAiKSET MSOHGANISBD, Writes Sir Thomas Mackenzie to a friend in New Plymouth:—Last week there appeared in The Times an announcement that I had received a four months' extension. Questions are constantly asked about my position, both here and from New Zealand. My position is exactly what i some time ago stated it to be. My clear duty is to remain here until the war is over and normal conditions are again approached, that i 3 to s«7 if the Government wish to retain my services.

With the prospect ol peace ws are reaching & very momentous position. All our trade movements have been altored, we have got out o:f touch with many of our most profitable markets, and our foodstuffs have been displaced by all descriptions or substitutes. The Government will have control of our butter, cheese, frozen meat and wool i'or a considerable period after thn close of the war.

Views are expressed as to the policy that should be pursued id the interests o? Empire ajid also ill ihe interests of the Dominion ia reference to the future control of raw materials and foodstuffs. This includes publicity, organisation, distribution and exploitation of new markets and recovery of former ones, 1 always feit that wool should become a monopoly of the Allies and 'centrals, and mineral": form another subject in thic connection. The purchase, control ana distribution o£ or.r meat is one of the most difficult problems which we have to solve, and taa proper placing of our dairy produce here &ei. o*> other markets will require* most carefui judgment. publicity, sampie distribution and handling Far reaching proposals are now being considered, nad much wi?.l depend upon those adoptedFor the way in which the situation is met will a fleet the future security tnd prices of our products or the reverse; and all this is not going to b« tiie work of an? "prentice hand," at any rate not »o far as oar Dominion is concerned, and her representative here wiil reqtnre to have, firstly, da intimate knowledge of what New Zealand can do, its resources and capacities, und, secondly, s- tamilianty with the conditions of tins aad other European markets, and how best te operate tliesa markets. The work or reconstruction and reorganisation will need probably more ability tban 3~en the control of the war, and let tis hope that the best- brains at the disposal of our country wiil be available foe that purpose. '

You wiil hare' gathered that I regard it as my aaty to vemtim at my post during this great crisis so long as tie Government desire my .services, and the stronger the, Government cmi make my position, b'oih regarding tenure and influence, tiie more ase will I lis to New Zealand. When they 110 longer require uw here I stall be equally pleased to return to trie Dominion. This war has given me exceptional opportunities for studying '.taporcant and vital problems, and of discussing with master minds the trend of events, and the conclusion that I havfc arrived at iu connection with many probacies as applied to New Zealand is, that if much -wider policy must he adopted if we are not only to hold our own m material prosperity, bat actually to retain ow positiori, than that wiiieii met circumstances previous to AngEst, iOli /;ideed this war TtS-s altered the conditions of the vriiole world, srnd »'e?er agam wiit they he the same. Measures and ideas, which suited circumstances smd conditions prior to hostilities ava iri many respects ahsoleto and jaappngalila now. This 13 indeed a tirns for we'll judged action, for forecasting, & possible, the future-; end for making provisions tfceTef-o:: "For sroTr the field is not far oft Where we must give the world a proof Of deed", not words."