DAIRY PRODUCE BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19485, 15 November 1926, Page 10

DAIRY PRODUCE BOARD.

Sir, —"Referee" misses the fact that the " common sense of the farmers" has already settled the question of control by the election of the board and that it is the present aim of the anti-control people to unsettle it. We are under majority rule, even to the extent Of conscription for war. We were down to 140s in 1923, without outside interference or any excessive sympathy, nor was there any trade movement in our favour when one-third of the value of butter went to those who handed if over the counter. Fairer Play. Sir,—Quit6 a lot has been said about Control Boards in the papers lately, but the letter in the Herald of November 10, over the signature of H. W. Manning, is the last straw. If Mr. Manning thinks that the consumers are going to be forced into buying New Zealand butter with the price fixed when there are thousands of tons of butter arriving on the market which can be bought at market price, without price fixation, he is barking up the wrong tree. Our friend . Mr. Grounds tells us not to be dissatisfied. Evidently he is not punching cows—but has got a fat job toying to make people pay a price for butter that they are not going to pay. He also says that the hostility against New Zealand butter is only propaganda. A pretty b,ig one, too, for the cookie and I think we are "propageese" to stand it. The sooner the Dairy Produce Board is gassed and put out of the way the better for the eockie who has got to milk the cow. Strawberry. Sir, —Seeing the serious position that the dairying industry has got into, it is well lor dairy farmers and the country in general to seriously consider the position, which to a great extent is of our own making. No doubt a good number of dairy farmers and others have a very exaggerated idea of our position on the London market. Now, wnafc is the position ? First and foremost, England is practically our only market. Secondly, we send about 22 per cent, of the butter imported there. Thirdly, we are compelled to use the ordinary channels (the wholesaler and retailer) to reach our consumers. This is admitted by the Control Board. In the face of those three indisputable facts it is quite obvious we are not in a position, to dictate to any of those people, because they can easily do without our butter and they have told us so. What would happen if we tried to market our stuff independent of the merchants ? Wo would be beaten at every turn. There is no denying the fact that the-merchant is top dog, and is in a position to pick and choose, which we are not. Such being tha case the Control Board should have been extremely careful they did not in any way antagonise the merchant. Now, as far as we can learn from all sources, they have done all they could to antagonise him. We know there is no sentiment in business and all who are free to trade where they like do their business with those who treat them best. The Control Board cannot offer any excuse for the muddle they have made, because they had the experience of the Danes and Australians to guide them. But apparently, with 20 millions' worth to handle, they got an attack of swelled head and obsessed with the idea of their "great" importance, would not take advice or listen to anyone, but went blundering ahead flourishing " the big stick," intent on giving all Tooley Street a general "stir up." That they have succeeded in stirring things up is very apparent, also that the board has had a very undignified climb down, and that the Prime Minister has had to take a hand and try to clean up the board's muddling. The board advanced Is 4d for the butter now being sold in London for a little over Is 2d. I would like to know where the money is to come from to make good the loss on this shipment. I see one correspondent says we have a right to say what we shall take for our produce. Certainly we have, but supposing the buyer won't give that price and you cannot force him to buy! When our butter was fetching within" a few shillings of Danish we wsre told we were not getting fairly treated. Now, the difference is 30s, and Mr. Grounds says we have nothing to complain about; verily a Job's comforter. What are the farmers, wage-earners and general public going to do 1 Are they going to sit quietly and allow a muddling board to muddle away half of our national income ? If so, as sure as day follows night, disaster will overtake us. E. P. Gruten. Kainui, Taupiri. ;,