London

Interesting Notes From London

A FORMER resident of the South Seas, now in London, writes most interest ingly, under date November 10, 1933: “In the markets which interest your readers, the Unilever crowd still rule the roost. Many threats are made, but the soap-cum-margarine monopoly just smile.

They aim to make the copra-grower simply

work for them, and the ramp is practically complete. But there will be an exposure presently “I hope the South Seas planters will be careful about signing up any copra con tracts in future, because there is a definite feeling that the prices will advance. Un less the planters in out-of-the-way places keep their cargoes free, they may not benefit by such increase.

“Your correspondent ‘Raubaulite,’ in your August issue, is certainly on the right track. It has always been a mystery to me as to why the benevolent Government at Canberra allowed the trading companies to get such a stranglehold on the back bone of the territory. In any case, either the Bank of New South Wales or the Commonwealth Bank must carry the trad ing concern for the finance; so why not make one bite out of it, and take over the whole liability from the Co.’s? If the Government give the required guarantees to the Bank—and, when all is said and done, the Government DO own the planta tions—then the planter becomes a free man and able to buy and sell where he likes. ‘Rabaulite’ is very definite when he states, ‘Then the planter could buy from any merchant or store,’ meaning that, just now, he is not permitted that freedom.

“There is a movement on foot here in England to assist the cocoa farmer; and, if report is correct, there is a good future for the Accra grower. The basis of the movement is co-operation. The native producer has guaranteed to work with the organizers of the International Cocoa Cor poration, a syndicate formed for the pur pose of handling cocoa on a commission basis, and advancing an equivalent in value of what the African Lever Com bine pay outright. To-day, the local price, i.e., Accra, has advanced 20/- in sympathy; and, so as to have no surplus, the pro moters of the scheme have found an out let for the cocoa butter, whilst the powder will be returned to the soil as fertilizer.

“This is the direct result of a scheme started by a friend of mine in Accra eight years ago, but he was unable to carry it

through owing to lack of financial backing.

Now, certain non-combine firms are inter ested, and finance up to £5,000,000 is avail able.

“The same thing could be done for copra.”