That “Black List.”

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 205, 6 October 1888, Page 3

That “Black List.”

WHAT SOME OF OUR TRADESMEN THINK OF IT. In Thursday’s issue we referred to our import column aa “ A Black List,” the reason for this appellation being perfectly plain when we remarked that there were included in it such articles as fish, flour, oatmeal, barley, fruit, butter, soap, and potatoes aud other vegetables. A shipment of malting barley that came in later on was not referred to. The whole thing was so inexplicable to us that we had to appeal to other* for information. The country settlers were apparently ashamed to make reply, for not one was received—is the reflection on themselves so deserving that they deem it best to maintain a golden silence? Or are they so dead to their ovn interests that they care not to trouble themselves with such matters ? However that may be, the tale is anything but a creditable one. We have interviewed several of our local tradesmen on the matter, whose opinions ought to be well worth considering.

MR JOHNSTON’S OPINION. Mr H. E. Johnston’s business experience entitles him to speak as an authority, and what he does say is eaid in plain and unmistakeable English. He says that the potatoes just imported cost him £4 a ton, which is more than local grown potatoes would cost. He considered the people of this district were too well off and did not know what poverty wag. The Southern potatoes could not compare with those locally grown, but those he had just received from Motueka were an exceptional lot and were better than the Gieborne potatoes at present in the market. The people of Poverty Bay, he said, are too lazy to apply themselves to the cultivation of this article, and he supposed they could find better use for their land, The local growers kept on rushing the market, as they were frightened, or seemed frightened, of the Canterbury people. Gisborne growers, too, wanted eight shillings a sack for their potatoes, making thrni about £4 16a a ton, whereas he could get them delivered from the South at £8 a ton, though the quality was not so good as that of the Poverty Bay potatoes. He considered some of the remarks made by the Standabd were much to the point. Some years ago Poverty Bay could keep Auckland supplied with wheat, but now—well things were changed. With regard to barley, the ground in this district was too rich and they eould not grow that article eo well aa down South; but they eould grow far better oats than the Southerners can. had lately ehaped a lot from Mr W. King, which were of better quality than the oats imported, but Mr Kmg was the only local grower bringing them into the market in any quantity. Mr Jnhnston concluded by saying that the people of this district expected far too much for their produce, and they were so frightened of the Canterbury people that they kept rushing the produce into the market, thus causing it to lose the balance both ways. a farmer’s opinion. A person practically engaged in farm work explains to us the position by stating that the fact is the local growers of potatoes wanted the money and were frightened of Canterbury, and they rushed the market, disposing of their produce for whatever it would fetch- in the auction marts or anywhere else. He considered Poverty Bey potatoes were far superior at the beginning of the season to those of Canterbury, but they did not keep so well and got inferior towards the end of the season. If things were the same next season he believed ths price would be brought down to three shillings a sack at the cheap period. WHAT MR EAST THINKS. Mr J. East states that the local grocers failed to judge the market well. The Poverty Bay potatoes he considered much superior to those imported. The previous season there were too many in the market, but this season the production had rfot been so ? great as the consumption and now there was not a Gisborne potato to be obtained in the market. Had the local grocers held their produce in stock fora time the market would have been more evenly balanced, and the Poverty Bay producers would have themselves reaped the advantage of ’a scarce market. With regard to the importation of vegetables and the fact that the importer was & Chinaman, he said that when the Chinese ran short of supplies they.would not procure them from any other producers but their own countrymen. In Napier there had been great protests made by the newspapers because vegetables were beinj imported into the place, and it transpirec that the Chinamen there followed the plan of sending away to procure supplies form tbtir own fttyilryfatab t _.