PRIMARY PRODUCTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 October 1921, Page 4

PRIMARY PRODUCTS.

OUTLOOK AT HOME. BETTER PROSPECTS FOR WOOL. MEAT AND DAIRY PRODUCE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland. Last Night. Interviewed, Mr. W. F. Massey said he had investigated the present position and the future possibilities iof the wool trade, and he could not go back on the conclusions arrived at during his visit to Bradford, which were that the time was not very far distant when the demand for wool would exceed the supply and when prices would naturally rise. He would deal in the House with the whole matter ' in due course. o Dealing with delays in unloading ships at London, Mr. Massey said he had received assurances from the shipping people and the Port of London Authority that every effort would be made to obviate this difficulty in future, particularly with ships carrying produce. On the other hand strong complaints were made by the shipping companies that serious delays took place in New Zealand ports and in steaming from one small port to another to pick up small portions of cargoes. He hoped, something may be done in regard to these matters in our own country, and the sooner remedial action is taken ”'0 better. He believed the shipping companies realised it was as much in their trade interests as in the interests of the Dominion producers that the charges should be reduced.

As regards the meat and dairy produce markets, Mr. Massey said: “I am sorry to say I. cannot encourage the producers of beef to expect much improvement in prices at Home for some time, and certainly not until the whole of the old stocks have been disposed of, though there cannot be very much cf them left now. The plain fact is that Argentine beats us in beef oh the London market on account of the shorter distance her supplies travel, and that Argentine beef can be sent to Smithfield chilled instead of frozen. When I left London the demand for lamb and light mutton was quite good. Heavy mutton was rather dull of sale.”

Mr. Massey said the market for dairy produce had not settled, but the outlook was fairly good, and the price will probably be a little higher than would ■otherwise be the case on account of the 'very dry season.