BUTTER SELLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 223, 20 September 1935, Page 9

BUTTER SELLING.

FORWARD STEP.

VOTE ALMOST UNANIMOUS. \ ——— STRONG SUPPORT OF BOARD. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The Dairy Board's proposals for group marketing based on the London manager's recommendations were adopted by the Dairy Conference to-day by 50 votes to four, and those voting against the proposals indicated that they were not opposing the board's scheme, but considered that they had not had sufficient time to understand all the details. ' The adoption of these proposals marks a very definite step forward in the industry's organisation. The conference made history in several different ways — it was the first occasion on which every appointed delegate was present and for the first time detailed and far-reaching marketing proposals were put before the industry by a unanimous Dairy Board. The overwhelming and practically unanimous vote of the industry in favour of group'marketing is considered to be due to the industry's confidence in the new board and the London manager, Mr. H. E. Davis, whose lucid and comprehensive explanation of the whole scheme carried complete conviction.

The chairman of the board, Mr. A. J. Murdoch, M.P., said that the board's decision had been reached only after long and careful deliberation ani it was hoped the industry would give it unanimous support.

Mr. C. P. Agar, the board's deputychairman, said that the industry was face to face with a very big problem, and had to choose between what had been called absolutely free and unfettered marketing, "but what lie would call rafferty rules, or going forward on a more orderly system of marketing. While the board was anxious to hear any criticism that the delegates had to offer, ho appealed to the industry to work as a team, as the board was doing, and once the proposals were carried he hoped the minority who might be against them would get in behind the board and help it constructively. Many Questions Answered. After a brief adjournment to enable the delegates to read all the statements which had been put before them, the debate on the proposals was taken and a large number of questions were answered. It was early apparent that the delegates were tremendously impressed with the comprehensive nature of the scheme and with the fact that it could be brought into force with the co-operation of at least the largest section of the trade; but even the most optimistic had not imagined that practically complete unanimity of all sections of the industry could be secured. It was signaficant that even those sections of the j industry which have long maintained the < ficrht for absolute freedom in marketing, | and particularly for freedom to make f.o.b. sales, fell in behind the board after hearing tlio London manager's opinions on current trends in other countries and the need for the New Zealand dairy industry to move forward instead oi backward. . After the vote on the marketing proposals the following resolution was proposed by Mr. Harbutt (Cambridge) and seconded by Mr. Sunderland (Gisborne) and was carried unanimously:— I hat it tie a recommendation to the New Zealand Dairy Board, in connection with its decision to cancel the present regulations with the Importers' Association, that tlieir first consideration should be to keep and cultivate the good will of British dairy produce houses and buyers.