64 



lands ; when we are in a position to minimise our present 

 day losses, to reduce wastage of time and money eausecV 

 by our antiquated ways of doing business, we may reason 

 ably proceed to extend our production with some hope of 

 definite success. 



In regard to the other measures which are said to 

 facilitate our exports, a* review of these, undertaken 

 during the last five years by the authorities, does not lead 

 to any great hope for the v future, for one cannot look 

 back on any one as having satisfactorily accomplished its 

 purpose. 



The persistent note which characterises all official 

 measures is the failure to appreciate the true sources of 

 our difficulties, and the genuine needs of our export 

 trade. 



We have ranged during the last few years from ab- 

 solute prohibition to export to ample facilities for trad- 

 ing. 



At a time that urgent measures appeared necessary 

 to prevent the country being denuded of its wheat, a 

 hurried -decree was immediately issued prohibiting the 

 export of this grain. JBardly had its effects been felt 

 than it was necessary to rescind it. The only result of 

 this legislation was to improve the position of our com- 

 petitors : finally it led to certain classes of grain being 

 imported by local millers for flour mixing purposes. 

 which raised the outcry that we were actually import i 

 wheat . 



Later on, before steps were taken to insure the dis- 

 posal of our produce, a campaign was instituted under 

 Governmental auspices to increase our sowing, but until 

 the actual moment for harvesting arrived all efforts to 

 move the Government in the sense 6f securing adequate 

 shipping accommodation for shipping our crop proved 

 unavailing . 



The obstacles to despatching our grain by sea have 

 never been surmounted. We are in the same position 

 as we were two years ago ; we are possibly in a worse 

 position due to the constant accumulation of various 

 harvests . 



Then followed "(as predicted by those competent to 

 judge the situation) the troubles over payment. These 

 are still pending settlement despite the prolonged efforts 

 of both grain exporters and the authorities to arrive at 

 some satisfactory arrangement with our customers. The 

 grave difficulties which have ensued, the inability to ob- 

 tain ample credit, largely due to this disorganised trade 

 system of ours and by our not being prepared to comply 

 with our customers' conditions for buying our products 



