DAIRY BOARD POLICY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 128, 2 June 1927, Page 11

DAIRY BOARD POLICY.

ABOLITION OF POOLS URGED-

MR. GOODFXXLOW'B CAMPAXOH

"TOOLEY STREET IN CONTROL."

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

CAMBRIDGE, Wednesday.

"It never occurred to me that the board might be foolish enough to change its policy in the middle of a season," 6aid Mr. W. Goodfellow, candidate for reelection to the Dairy Board, in an address here to-day, Mr. Mervyn Wells, chairman of the Cambridge Co-operative Dairy Company, presided over a large attendance.

Mr. Goodfellow challenged the accuracy of the market reports by Messrs. lorns and Paterson, and declared that Messrs. Wright and Motion had cabled the real facts about the strong tone of the London market at the time when price-fixing was unwarrantably abolished in his (Mr. Goodfellow'e) absence, and in violation of a promise given that no action would be taken until June.

"Useless Without Price-Fixing. ,, Declaring that since the abolition of price-fixing there had been more underselling thau ever, Mr. Goodfellow said that pooling was useless without pricefixing and should have been abolished after seven or fourteen days' notice, following the abolition of the latter to give companies the chance to revert to free marketing and re-establish market connections immediately. Tooley Street now had control, but under free marketin.i: the smaller companies could form schemes by voluntary agreements with an organisation like* the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company.

American Fanner Worse Off. The position in England was better now than for a long time pant. In fact, the American fanner was worse off than tho New Zealand dairyman. "Butter is soiling now at 170/,". said Mr. Goodfellow. 'If pooling was abolished we would ask 180/ to 180/ for my company V output and about August this year the price will be 190/. Such is the"position due to bad seasons in Australia. Argentine ami the Northern Hemisphere. With control but no price-fixation we are powerless to take advantage of u certain rise. It will be 10 or 20 years before the board can do the job it was set up to do. Until we secure a different method of election of the board, with better organisation and unanimity, we had better leave marketing alone!" The present position was due to lack of support of the board in Now Zealand, but it still hud work to do, even if pooling w.is abolished. Savings on insurance alone would then pay expenses. A motion of confidence in the candidate was carired on the voices.

A further motion: "That this meeting is strongly of the opinion that the compulsory clauses of the Act should be repealed and a return made to free ;md unfetted marketing," was defeated on « show of hands.

SUPPORT TOR THE BOARD ••* MEET- ANCHOR OF INDUSTRY. , ' lliy Tclegropn.-rresa Association.) FEILDING, Wednesday. Speaking at a luncheon given in honour of the Minister of Education, Hon R A Wright, to-day, Mr. G. G. Elliott, MP upheld the Dairy Control Board, which he descriWd as the sheet-anchor of the dairy industry. Uproar was caused h\ vested interests. He urged dai.v farmers to stick to the board.

The Minister referred to the Dairv Board's procedure as a subject on which the Government had been unjust I v blamed. He was «lad to notice that Mr (.oodfellow foul publicly exonerated the Government from any blnme for nnv mistakes made.

PRODUCERS' MEMBERS ONLY. CO.VSTITUTIOX OF DOAKD. (By Telegrnpb.-Press Association.) DUXEDIX, Wednesday. The South Island Dairy Association at its annual mcctinjr, carried the following resolution: "That in the event of any alteration being made in the Dairy Produce Control Act provision be made that the board shall be made up onlv of producers' members." . The mover said their industry had been harmed by the Government pnttin« members on the board who were not directly interested in the industry The Otapo Provincial Conference of he New Zealand Farmers' Union car ned a motion approvi,,- of the princip , c|| of co-operative marketing underlving the establishment of the Dairy Board

MEMBERS RETirPN SILENT.

"ELLINGTON. Wednesday •)or> of the Dairv Produce Board who -ere appointed to act for the bol'rdTon "ii-s the question n f rontro |