Denmark and Her Competitors.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18675, 26 April 1926, Page 8

Denmark and Her Competitors.

It was reported from Copenhagen on Saturday that the Press there has been moved to doubt whether it is wise of Denmark to be so hospitable and so communicative to " foreigners." They are, it is suggested, generously entertained, shown all they want to see, taught all they want to learn, and then go homo to work Denmark's downfall in the butter-market. Rather regrettably, the cause of this first timid step towards secret dairying was a remark passed by a member of the New Zealand delegation now studying on the spot the methods which have built up Denmark's greatest industry. Mr Poison hinted that, although the Danes were our keenest competitors on the English market, there was "every " hope " of our gaining the upper hand. This hint of triumph was regrettable because it unnecessarily raised the nervous question of competition. Mr Poison was no doubt surprised to find that by Ms innocent remark he had

cast himself in the role of the cynical competitor, who, having taken advantage of his rival's confiding nature, announces with relish his hope of ruining him soon; but innocence is always being mistaken for something else, and being surprised at the fact. Happily, there is not much need to fear that Students of dairy science will be warned off Danish pasture-lands. Competition between New Zealand and Denmark in dairying is keen, but not cutthroat, and the Danes are wise enough to realise that the secrets of their industry are not like trade secrets, which can be stolen and employed to enrich the thief at the rightful owner's expense. Every dairying nation has its peculiar difficulties, of climate, soil, disease, labour, etc., to encounter and surmount; and the solutions which the Danes have found for their problems are not directly applicable to those of New Zealand. We cannot, as it were, look over Denmark's shoulder as she does her sums and copy her answers; for ours are different sums, and must be solved independently. Naturally there iB much to be learned about organisation, but we shall have to perfect our own; about the application of science to the problems of farming, but we shall have to discover how to apply it to ours; and perhaps about that very old secret, hard work, too. But there is no magic formula to be picked up in Denmark or elsewhere. New Zealand will beat Denmark at buttermaking and butter-selling when she deserves to; but whether she ever does or does not, in an industry supplying one of the world's first needs, competition should never grow so rude as to cut friendly co-operation.