TO CONSUMER DIRECT.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1921, Page 9

TO CONSUMER DIRECT.

NEW WAYS AND MEANS.

DOMINION PRODUCERS OPPORTUNITY,

(Special to the Taranaki Daily News.) Hamilton, August 5. Of late much has been heard of the proposals by which endeavors are being made to get the New Zealand producers into direct touch with consumers overseas, by means of improved methods of marketing products. Discussions have taken place quite recently at various of representatives of the New Zealand Farmers' Unions, and the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime. Minister of New Zealand, who is now in England, is working for the end in view. If, when the various schemes are consolidated, the ultimate project is successfully brought into operation, the position of the farmer in New Zealand and the Dominion generally will be much enhanced in every way.

FROM FARMER TO CONSUMER. Some little time ago a movement was initiated by the various Farmers’ Cooperative Associations in both Nofrth and South Islands. The outcome was the formation of the Farmers’ Co-opera-tive Wholesale Federation (N.Z.) Ltd., with headquarters* at Wellington, the object being, on the one hand, to care lor the collective buying of general merchandise, and, on the other hand, to sell Ntw Zealand products in the best markets of the world.

TO CONSUMER DIRECT. A London office has been established with a staff of experts fully equipped to handle consignments of meat, WOOl, dairy produce, grain, etc. Mr. A. E. Gough, who, during the war period, was in charge of the dairy division of the Ministry of Food has been appointed manager. In addition to other experience, Mr. Gough for many years held a prominent position with that great industrial co-operative organisation, the Co-operative Wholesale Society in Manchester, Liverpool, and other parts of Great Britain.

Quite recently the Farmers’ Co-oper-ative Wholesale Federation of New Zealand, joined forces with both Australian and South African Federations and thus the London organisation to-day is already handling large shipments of produce from New Zealand, Australia and Africa. Therefore the New Zealand establishment in the near future will be in a position to contract with both large and small retailers for continuity of supplies, •

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCTS IDENTIFIED.

Although the throe countries named are working together on the linos indicated, yet very definite arrangements have been made to identify the country of origin with all sales of produce. That is to say, it will generally and particularly be known that all the New Zealand products marketed will be known to have come from New Zealand, and the same will apply to Australia and South Africa.

Farmers therefore will be well advised to entrust their respective' co-operative associations affiliated with the federation . with headquarters at Wellington, with the shipment and disposal of their produce. On the other hand, it will be realised that kindred associations should be prevailed upon to accredit the London organisation with all their business. FARMER RETAINS FULL CONTROL.

The aim of the Farmers’ Co-operative Wholesale Federation of New Zealand is that farmers, through their own organisations, should retain complete control of their produce from the point of production right to the consumer. This they are enabled to do through their own co-operative companies. Within the last two years the whole chain o( Farmers’ Co-op. companies in New Zealand have been linked up through the Farmers’ Co-op. Wholesale Federation now eleven firms have become amalgamated in order to buy and sell in the world’s best markets. They comprise the Farmers’ Co-operative Auctioneering Co., Ltd., Hamilton; North Auckland Farmers’ Co-op., Whangarei; Farmers’ Co-op. Organisation Society, Ilawera; Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Co-op.. Napier; Gisborne Farmers’ Co-op. Association, Gisborne; Tokomaru Farmers' Co-op., Tokomaru Bay; Farmers’ Co-op. Distributing Co., Ltd., Wellington; N. Z. Farmers’ Co-op. Association, Christchurch; Canterbury Farmers’ Co-op. Association, TimaruOtago Farmers’ Coop. Association, Dunedin; and Southland Farmers’ Co-op. Association, Invercargill. ;