HC Deb 10 November 1937 vol 328 c1795W
Mr. Liddall

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether he has any information about an indignation meeting which was held near Accra by thousands of Gold Coast and Ashanti farmers on 29th October, to deal with the alleged attempt by cocoa buyers to obtain the cocoa below its value by means of a buying ring; and will he consider arranging for the farmers to ship the cocoa to London for sale in the open market by brokers to be employed by the Government as a method for breaking the cocoa buyers' ring?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

I have seen references in the Press to the agitation in question. Evidence has been laid before me which indicates that it is based on misapprehensions, and that the net prices paid in the Gold Coast since the new arrangement was introduced on the 1st of October have been above, and not below, the net prices which would have been obtained if the cocoa had been sold in Europe or New York on the same day. In these circumstances I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by examining the proposal contained in the second part of my hon. Friend's question, butprima facie I think that it is impracticable.