PROPOSED POOL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 191, 14 August 1930, Page 9

PROPOSED POOL.

IMPROVING CHEESE QUALITY.

EXPORTERS REJECT SCHEME

NORTH AND SOUTH TA RANAKT.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

NEW PLYMOUTH, Wednesday

The question of adopting some' form of pool and premium; as a nieaiis of improving the quality of New Zealand cheese was again under discussion- today when Mr. J. Hinc, acting-chairman of the. Dairy Produce Board, addressed over TOO. representatives of dairy companies which export through Now Ply? mouth. ...

Mr. Hine said the trouble was that the industry was divided. South Taraliaki was opposed to a Dominion pool and the South Island would have nothing else. A large company in the "Waikato objected to any kind of. pool

until compulsory milk grading was introduced. It had been urged, especially by South Tarahaki, that the only alternative was a voluntary pool and the board had agreed that if one were formed its officers would do the necessary clerical work free of cost.

At the various annual meetings of companies he had noticed that there had been . a tendency to minimise the lowering of quality to a great extent, and to say that the position was largely due to a depressed market. This was not so. The board's own. manager in London had repeatedly drawn attention (o the deplorable state in which some of the cheese was arriving. ' Whatever the cause, they were faced with the question and it was useless to attempt to minimise it.' ':■'"': ' ;

At present there were delegations of Finnish and Latvian dairymen in England who were investigating the possibilities and modes of manufacture of cheddar cheese. They would make what the market wanted. They were alive to the fact that New. Zealand produce was not in the same condition as it used to be, and if there was a possible chance they would slip in and try to capture the market.

The question was whether the dairy companies were prepared to join in a voluntary pool in an endeavour to improve the quality of cheese. It had been said that if the factories went in for quality they' would lose yield, and in that respect compare 'unfavourably with neighbouring factories. If all companies joined the pool that phase would bo obviated, for the factories that made the finest cheese would get a premium.

After a lengthy discussion a resolution that a pool be formed in North Taranaki on the same lines as that in South Taranaki was defeated. Very few voted, however, the-majority declining to commit their companies without further consideration. It is probable that the question will be opened again: Sir. Brash., when interviewed to-night, said that although it was unlikely.that the scheme would be adopted by cheese factories shipping through Moturoa, New Plymouth, -as a whole there was a' possibility that the northern factories might woVk in with the South Taranaki factories in. the proposed pool. Mr. Brash said he had been speaking to several representatives of cheese factories and they had said their companies were considering such a course. He said that in spite of- the adverse rer.oiutiou to-day he did not think the meeting would" have proved abortive for the north and the south would probably link up, and the grading marks would be taken at Moturoa and Pa-tea and would not affect: shipping. '