Copra!

Prices Rise in Two Pacific Terri

tories but N. Guinea PCB Im

poses New Conditions of Sale

r BLOWING an inquiry by the Aus tralian Prices Commissioner in Nov ember, an increase in the price paid to New Guinea copra producers has been authorised from December 1. Planters are, however, advised not to throw their hats in the air until they have read the remainder of the Production Control Board’s circular letter sent from Port Moresby and dated January 7.

The letter reads;

Circluar No. 81

Dear Sir/Madam, — It is desired to inform you that in accordance with the provisions of Section 39 of the National Security (External Territories) Regulations, the following prices have been fixed for copra delivered to this Board during the period Ist January, 1946, to 3S)th November. 1946, both dates being inclusive:— Hot Air Dried i Sun Dried [ £22/5/- per ton.

Kiln dried ) Smoke Dried £2l/5/- per ton.

These prices are on the basis of delivery at plantations, or at the nearest point of shipment.

As from Ist December, 1946, the basis of pur chase has been altered to delivery ex ships’ slings at Samarai, Port Moresby, Madang, Rabaul and Kavieng, or where transport is by road, delivery at the Board’s warehouse at those ports.

Consequent upon the recent increase in the

Australian price for this commodity, an increase in the local prices has been made possible, and as from Ist December, 1946, the prices payable on this new basis are as follow: Hot Air dried ) Sun Dried [ £2B per ton.

Kiln Dried J Smoke Dried £27 per ton.

Any adjustments necessary to give effect to these new prices will be passed through your account during the current month. (Signed) J. C. ARCHER, Chairman, ANG Production Control Board.

Port Moresby, January 7, 1947.

EVEN if planters were to get full advan tage of the new increase they would be receiving less than the price paid to-day to planters in other Pacific ter ritories; but it will be noted that from the date that the increased price is pay able, alterations have been made to con ditions covering the basis of purchase.

Until December 1, the price paid by the FCB to planters was “at plantation.”

This has how been altered and the new price is “at the ships’ slings” in Samarai, Port Moresby. Madang, Rabaul or Kav ieng. The PCB, in other words, will no longer take responsibility for transport, and planters in outlying districts, such as the Admiralties and the Western Islands, are likely to be out of pocket under the new conditions of sale.

The onus of finding transportation for copra (and that can be done only through government-controlled ships winch are as infrequent as they are unreliable) apparently now falls entirely to the pro ducers, and the PCB becomes purely a buying agency—a function which it usurped from private trading firms. The PCB might have fulfilled some useful function if it had developed co-ordinating and organising machinery to short-cir cuit the red-tape which is strangling the rehabilitation of the copra producing in dustry in New Guinea. Its reason for existing now seem to be for no other reason than to appease some bureaucrat’s passion for “Government control.”

Fiji Price Up Again

rE British Ministry of Food notified the Governor of Fiji in Januarv that a further increase in the price of copra had been authorised. The increase amounts to £4/0/6 (F) and consequently

the Fiji Conra Board has raised the buy ing price of conra to £29/15/6 for Plant ation Grade copra and £29/10/- for FMS Grade, delivered at Suva or Levuka and with effect from January 5. An equiv alent price in Australian currency would be over £33 per ton.