Inquiry Into Guaranteed Dairy Price Standards Supported

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27666, 24 May 1955, Page 9

Inquiry Into Guaranteed Dairy Price Standards Supported

A Taranaki motion calling for a MoSB itte of inquiry into the dairy Ljustry was supported at the annual Christchurch conference yesterday of sary companies in the southern ward. Tje Taranaki resolution was as allows: “That this conference recomLjnds to the dairy industry that the Hairy Board be requested to convene _ committee of inquiry—not neces--Tily all Dairy Board members—to inquire into all aspects of the New Zealand dairy industry, this report to be presented to the board and then -laced before the first available Kwiinion dairy conference.” The Taranaki resolution listed eight -tints which, it suggested, the comJJittee should Inquire into. Two of these—which the Christchurch conference recommended should be Jiven “special emphasis”—were tne degree of responsibility the Government is prepared to accept in connexion with the guaranteed prices," and “methods rf controlling costs within the dairy industry.” Other matters which the Taranaki conference wants to be investigated ire the following:— “The set-up of New Zealand produce grading methods and whether the graders have the right idea of what the British public wants; the quality cf New Zealand produce in relation to the markets for which they are destined; factors relating to the storage, maturing and transport of New Zealand produce; marketing of dairy produce in New Zealand and overseas; the future organisation of the dairy industry in relation to the industry by the Dairy Commission, the Dairy Board and the Dairy Industry Council; and the question of a diversification of dairy industry products.” The Christchurch conference also approved of this list. The Taranaki resolution was passedafter the conference had considered the suggestion made in the statement by the chairman of the board (Mr W. E. Hale) that a committee of the

should be set up to inquire Most guaranteed price standing toe * ward conferences since conference have om fdHi^ the J es °l uti on. with or without additions to or deletions from the h p< sS lts 4 or investigation, had th- Hale’s statement—which — prior a PP r oval of the board ferem-o be M 1 5? a< L to yesterday’s conference, Mr G. Harris (Okains Bay) Christchurch confer<s^L approve th e Taranaki resolution. been ma de on SS>w 1 th j' U J IS year tt e industry be drawing on the dairy industry account to make up the re » n » e between realisations £d the producers, said Mr Harris, made so much of this had been quite happy" all the years when prices were increasing and the amount he sa!d aCCOUnt had been building up, Mark Wallace asked whether sh?n b “.T 1 h »t d “y idea of the member“fed=(^£r, tb .u Prosed committee, listed by the Wlde ran Se of subjects JhtoS “lurry there must be someditfy,’. e he U X Wr ° ng the^n(iw?a deputy-chairman of the board P.nton) Said that he felt there was nothing wrong in the industry, • the ,5 o; ? rd would welcome an i H J he * industry felt it wanted the whole of its organisation Inquired iS.™ industry was entitled to it. ®Jr W. G. Macartney said many bSrd ta th^ e^ mdpstry * elt ’ the ft?',? 116 guarantee” of price ZS„» y V t l ,all y. worthiess” and it was to g et from the Government a statement of its attitude towards tne guarantee. Mr Wallace, seconding Mr Harris’s “Otron, said he thought the emphasis be on fhe Government’s attitude to the guaranteed price and on the question of stabilising costs m the industry. ..bir Harris amended his motion along ‘he hues suggested by Mr Wallace, and the amended motion was carried.