The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1935. DAIRY INDUSTRY UNITED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 223, 20 September 1935, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1935. DAIRY INDUSTRY UNITED.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance. For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

When proposals for a new marketing system are adopted with sacli overwhelming support as that given to the New Zealand Dairy Board's marketing scheme at yesterday's conference in Wellington there can bo no question that the time is ripe for a change. Radical as the proposals were, only four out of sixty leaders of the dairy industry refused their support. A short time ago such unanimity would have been impossible. To-day it is evidence of a much happier state of mind. The Dairy Board in its new form has clearly won the confidence of the producers, and is in the fortunate position of sailing on a flowing tide. Its predictions of a rise in prices have been fulfilled in larger measure than producers were encouraged to expect thus early in the season, and the outlook is brighter than for several years. Although the Board cannot claim the credit for these improvements they undoubtedly have a bearing upon its present popularity.

This was a favourable time for advocating the advantages of orderly marketing. The farmer, the dairy merchant and even the wholesaler and retailer at Home who, it might have been thought, had fattened on the expansion in sales during the reign of low prices, could all be said to desire some respite after the rampant competition of recent years. Whether or not New Zealand gains or loses by its restrictions upon f.o.b. selling, which may not please Tooley Street, will depend upon its power to link up more closely with distributive organisations and chain stores in Britain. The Danes have been able to do this with great success. Why cannot we? If the wide gap between their returns and ours for butter in recent years is attributable largely to their better methods of selling—and there are experts who declare that it is—then the group plan now adopted may pay New Zealand handsomely.

Briefly, the plan is to divide the Dominion, for dairy marketing purposes, into seven groups, three of which will be in the Auckland province. Each of these groups will be given its own brand and will pool the proceeds, which means that the interests of particular factories and companies will be sunk for the benefit of all. At the outset group brands will be more an indication of origin, in a semi-provincial sense, than of quality, for it is inconceivable*that a uniform grade over the whole of a group area can be attained for some time. Uniformity, however, should be aimed at, and care in the grading of cream within each area should be a means to this end. Those who produce the highest quality should be rewarded, and others should be given an incentive to raise their standard. As between groups competition in the British market is to be unfettered, subject to the general overriding authority of the Dairy Board. The Board, indeed, may be less in the picture than it is at present, and large dairy importing and selling organisations at Home may be encouraged to feel that they are dealing not with an official body,' but with co-operative groups of producers. New Zealand has had one experience of the Dairy Board being snubbed by important interests in the butter business at Home, and does not want another. To set the new machinery in operation will require months of organisation and the assistance of the Executive Commission of Agriculture, but the time limit set for August 1 of next year should be far enough ahead for the necessary arrangements to be completed.