Plan For Dairy Industry

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 189, 9 May 1934, Page 11

Plan For Dairy Industry

Sir,—Seeing that Mr. Goodfellow has issued a "ten-point plan,” 1 would like you to publish the "ten point plan” of a working dairy-larmer:— 1. Dairy industrial economy, by the industry shipping its own butler instead of paying concerns such as the Amalgamated Dairies. 2. That the Government import, free, all manure and accessories needed by tlie dairy-fanner, or finance the supply, payment to be made monthly through recipient’s factory. This would include oil, benzine, separators, manures and coai, direct from manufacturers. 3. To exercise the greatest care in reducing exchange, even to the effect it will have on seasonal importations and imports at certain seasons. 4. Avoid subsidies and make the mortgages come down to the level of the farmer, and share the cost of production, with further reduction of interest. 5. 1 agree with Mr. Goodfellow that dairy-farmers should be encouraged to breed pigs, lambs and poultry, and ship these through their dairy company as agent, and save the percentage now taken by concerns which are guaranteed by dairy-farmers. (I fail to see how the farmer can be expected to breed ewes. Is he expected to sell the wether lambs?) » 6. To improve and maintain the quality of dairy produce by careful inspection and advance of finance by the Government to effect such improvements as are required in the interest of improvements mentioned ; not as at present, demand that such and such a thing be done regardless of the financial position of the farmer. In the interest of our dairy produce all plants should be immediately inspected, and the cost of any necessary improvements be shared by the Government, the mortgagee and the occupier, equally, without charge'on the land. That the present system of election of the Dairy Board be abolished, and the members be appointed by the Government from suppliers, factory managers and the Dairy Division. Suppliers must be on the directorate of a factory producing finest grade cheese or butter. The same will apply to the factory managers. No general manager of a combination can be a member of the board. Equal representation from North and South Islands, ■as good government and grade of produce are their first interests. Only co-opera-tive factories represented on the board. 7. The appointment of efficient members of the board must be in the hands of the Government to avoid the present situation recurring. 8. That the Government go carefully into the matter of establishing canning factories. From personal experience I have seen the benefit of such a system, but it must be carefully and vigorously pushed. As the butter would be shipped from the supplier to the factory at the other end, there would be no agent, and we would establish one selling organisation in England. 9. That the Government finance cooperative dairy factories instead of, as at present, it being done by Tooley Street and local firms, the advance (as at present) to be guaranteed by suppliers, and by so doing they will remove the financial pull which 'influences sales, often to the detriment of suppliers. 10. No “dry” shareholder in a factory to have a vote in the industry, and no supplier or “dry” shareholder- to receive interest on shares, they really being only payment for services rendered. No proxies to be used.—l uro, etc., hi. R. MURPHY. Paten, May 4.