DAIRY INDUSTRY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 49, Issue 198, 7 June 1929, Page 7

DAIRY INDUSTRY

SOUTH ISLAND ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

(Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN,. June 6

The annual conference of the South Island Dairy Association of New -Zealand., Ltd., was opened to-day. Fifty factories were represented, and Mr H. J. Middleton presided l .. In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet the chairman said the association financially was in a sounder position than ever before, and he could see no danger of any financial trouble. They thought the loss of several big items would have had a serious effect on their finances, but that had not been so. (Applause.) Gradually but surely the association was obtaining the support of factories. Business had increased by 20 per cent., but value was not so great, owing to the lower values of quantities. Still, the association was succeeding in cutting out its competitors. Not much money was ■ being, made out of the association's machinery business. Profit was not hoped for, as the business was commenced with the aim of assisting members. The revenue, too, from the shipping source would disappear after this year. Last year, when they understood they were to lose revenue from shipping, they were perturbed, but, as often happened, realisation was not so 1 bad as expected, said Mr Middleton. The quality of their products was improving, but unfortunately that opinion was not expressed in London, particularly on the quality of cheese. The Agricultural Department's officer* in London should be asked to report on Home, as it seemed here and at Home, as itseemed that deterioration was taking place. Maintenance of an | even quality was essential. Prices ■ last season were rather disappointing. ] They had gone steadily down end showed no great indication of recov-1 ery. ]t all went to show that there was nobody either in New Zealand or in Tooley Street who knew anything about the future of the market. People in Tooley Street knew no more about it than they did out nere, and that was very little. It was a v ather bad' fact, because some of the factories would receive as much as Is ild, but others would get only Is 6d, and it was going to cause a great deal of heartburning and dissatisfaction. The question of standardised cheese still exercised the ' attention of members! The new dairy regulations came as a complete bolt from the blue to the executive. A protest was made to the Department and to the Minister, who agreed to postpone the operation of the regulations, the result being that theru was absolute* chaos in the Department lor a time. There were, no regulations in existence at all. The i old ones had gone out and the new j ones were suspended, and the whole business was paralysed. The association had to go back on its resolution to an extent, and expressed its willingness, to agree to the regulations with the exception of the clause dealing with the question of separating, milk for extraordinary reasons. With that exception the association agreed to the whole of the regulations being given effect to, and they got the Min-,1 ister out of a mighty tijrht corner. The motion was carried.

1 There being no further nominations, Messrs J. R. Thacker (Okains Bay) and William Bryant (Henley) were reelected to the board of directors. The chairman announced that, the medal for cheese at the Empire Dairy Show had been won by Mr Dixon, Edendale, for the second year. The following remit from the executive, was moved by Mr W.*Bryant:— "That as the establishment of a research laboratory in the South Island, to deal with local problems, is considered to be essential to, the welfare of the industry, the executive of the association be instructed to take any further steps which it may consider necessary to have a laboratory set up as soon as possible." An amendment, "That this meeting approves of the principle of the establishment of a laboratory, but that consideration be deferred until a report is obtained from an expert committee, and that the question come up again at the annual meeting next year," was carried by a large majority. A remit was submitted: "That this conference being of opinion that the export of cheese made from partlyskimmed milk will seriously prejudice the goodwill which New Zealand cheese lias established in the world's markets, strongly urges the Minister of Agriculture to have the amending regulations permitting the manufacture of standardised cheese cancelled at the earliest possible moment, and that he be requested' to instruct the Dairy Division to. take steps to ensure that only full cream cheese is manufactured for export." After a lengthy discussion the remit was withdrawn.

Mr Hamilton (Awarua) moved — "That this meeting is in favour of standardised cheese being branded as such and with the name of the province in which it is manufactured, the national brand to be eliminated."

The remit was defeated by a large majority. An address covering the operations of the. Dairy Produce Board was given by Mr W. Irons, chairman of the board.

The conference will be concluded tomorrow.