DAIRY CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 157, 30 March 1926, Page 6

DAIRY CONTROL

FINANCE FINALISED MERCHANTS WILL CO-OPERATE ANSWER TO CRITICS Definite assurances have now been given in writing by all the distributors in Tooley Street who have been engaged in the past in handling New Zealand dairy produce upon the London market that they will establish letters of credit in the name of the Dairy Board, under its policy to be initiated in August next. Similar assurances are now being secured from the New Zealand firm? engaged in the same business, whose head offices are in New Zealand.

This information was forwarded - to the Dairy Board by cablegram,from the. London agency; Stating:— Obtained in-writing from importers willingness ; establish/ credits in name of board.

' Then followed the names of the firms concerned/which are as follow:—Lovell and Christmas, Ltd./ A? J.- Mills and Co., Ltd.,' R. and W. Davidson, Ltd., Weddels, Ltd., J. and J. ■ Lonsdale, Ltd. Folev Bros, Ltd., - Anglo-Conti-nental Produce ' Co., - Ltd;, Andrew Clemeats and Sons, Ltd., ■ G. Gillanders, Oetzes and Gerritzen, Ltd.; Co-operative Marketing Association, Ltd., Page and Son, Ltd., A. C. Rawson, Henry Lane and Co., Ltd., Armour and Sons, Ltd., National Mortgage and Agency Co., Ltd., New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency, Ltd., Dalgety and Co., Ltd.

“Never Any Doubt About Finance." In commenting upon this information to a Dominion reporter, Mr. W. Grounds (chairman of the board) said: “Everyone with an intimate knowledge of the inner working of the export dairy produce trade has known throughout this controversy tliat there would be no difficulty about finance under the board s policy. ' This we have asserted repeatedly, but, notwithstanding, it has remained the centre point of criticism and misrepresentation. An explicit statement was again made last week regarding finance, "following which some critics even had the temerity to declare that we were wilfully misleading, and that Tooley Street would not estabish the credits as we l»d stated. That Tooley Street would go.back on the assurances that had been given was unthinkable to us Events have once again proved that foolev Street needs to be protected from its scCcalled friends. A request to London for confirmation of the assurances resulted in a cablegram being received stating that all the leading firms had renewed that assurance in y rlt ’ Firms with their headquarters in New Zealand are doing likewise We shall possibly now be criticised for not having done this before, to which we answer in anticipation that there has never been anv doubt upon the point, and we were not disposed ‘o Indicate anv question in our mind of the honourable word of our distributive associates. _ A Pure Bogey.

“If critics have enjoyed conjuring up a bogey which they have plav;ed with almost affectionately, and which has again proved them to be wrong, leave them with their pleasure as there can be few left for them. Suffice it here to sav that Tooley Street is plainly aware of the advantages our system has to offer to the legitimate distributor. That supplies shall be guaranteed t them in accordance with their distributive outlets, is all they desire The difficulty under existing circumstances to secure these has been their greates trouble F. 0.8. buying has made the trade more speculative than ever. Serious disturbances to long established connections have been experienced so that in the end some of our best distributors might have been forced to look for supplies from elsewhere.

There was far more danger to the industry from this than any prospect of merchants seeking supplies from other countries as a result of the board’s pohqy. We know that in this connection the only way to preserve our interests in any competition with other countries is to be prepared to give better value and service for the money than any of them . • Critics Answered. “Welfare leagues and other critics, from their unvarying centre of inspiration, indicate with what restricted vision they approach the compulsory clause of the Act Possibly when their thought lias penetrated deeper they will realise how closely allied or interwoven are the policies of ‘compulsion’ and ‘protection.’ A fever patient, immediately the case is diagnosed, is taken from his own home, notwithstanding that he is ill and conveyed compulsorily to an isolation ward The local authority in doing this think that in the end it will be best for the patient, but its primary object in taking this ‘arbitrary’ action is to protect the rest of the r citizens. “The Dairy Board was instructed to investigate the whole question of marketing New Zealand dairy produce. Further, they were charged with the responsibility and given the power to take whatever action they then deemed nesessary. They decided that certain methods in present marketing were inimical to the whole'industry. In moving to eliminate them, its'objective is not to compel the minority, but to protect the majority, and as with the fever case cited, it 'is satisfied that its action is in the interests of all.

Appeal by Mr. Bruce. “It is significant'that almost about the time this Chamber of Commerce cum Welfare League deputation.. was waiting upon our own Prime Minister, the Prime Minister of Australia, in speaking to their chambers of commerce, said: ‘The gospel of efficiency should be preached by every Australian who loves his country and desires to see it great in the future, and the people happy and prosperous.’ ” In l regard to marketing he said :— “Producers and distributors were valuable national assets, but added that the present method of distribution was based on a wrong principle, as it was more designed to serve the interests of the speculator than to conserve the rights of the producer and consumer and. to ensure a fair return to the legitimate distributor.” In conclusion lie said, “I ask you for your cooperation and the assistance of vour great organisation. I ask vou to give a lead to the nation. I ask you to give that lend down lines that will ensure benefits to the whole of the people, and, in doing so be forgetful of your own, individual and personal interests.”

clearly has examined the whole position and is worthy to be classified with the finest examples of British high principled public endeavour. Let us hope if only for the sake of a revival of that period of high principled public endeavour, that a similar message will be delivered to New Zealand chambers of commerce when our Prime Minister has concluded the investigation lie intimated would be made.”