DAIRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 148, 19 March 1937, Page 11

DAIRY INDUSTRY

Conclusion of Dominion Conference

REMITS AND ADDRESSES

The Dominion Dairy Conference held in Wellington under the auspices of the New Zealand Dairy Board concluded last evening. Many more remits were dealt with yesterday and several addresses were given dealing with various phases of the dairy industry. The chairman of the board, Mr. A. .1. Murdoch, presided. Tire following remit, submitted by the South Island Dairy Association, was carried: “That all lorries owned by farmers and used exclusively for their own farm purposes should be exempt from heavy traffic licences.” The conference carried a resolution urging the necessity of an alteration in the law so that no overtime should be paid in dairy factories when the permitted weekly hours were not exceeded. The following remit, adopted by the National Dairy Conference at Hastings last June, was carried on a show of hands: “That in the event of a premium being paid for grade, there should be only three grades for butter, namely, finest, first and second: and two for cheese, namely, first and second.” Bobby Calf Trade. A resolution was carried recommending the Dairy Board to keep a close watch on the bobby calf industry and to take what action it considered advisable if the necessity arose. The following remit from the Kia Ora Dairy Company was adopted without discussion: “That the Primary Products Marketing Department take full responsibility for all dairy produce from the date same is submitted for grading in the various grading stores and that the payment for such produce shall be made monthly to the respective dairy companies.” Remits from the Morrinsville ward conference, the Greymouth ward conference, the Morrinsville Dairy Company, the Golden Bay Dairy Company, and the Farmers’ Dairy Federation, Invercargill, urging upon the Government the necessity for introducing the block system of farm dairy instruction were carried without comment. The necessity for placing dairy companies on the same basis as merchants as regards commission on manures was stressed in a Morrinsville ward conference remit which was Carried. A remit from the Palmerston North ward conference recommending the Government to fix the end of the financial year for dairy companies was carried. May 31 was suggested for the North Island and July 31 for the South Island. Company Brands. In the absence of information as,to the Government’s method of marketing and distribution of produce and to ensure that .dairy companies retain the goodwill built up over a period of years by consistent good quality, the conference approved of a remit that the companies’ present brands be used in conjunction with a Dominion brand. The work carried out by the zoning committee comprising the Executive Commission of Agriculture and two members of the Dairy Board was explained by Mr. W. E. Hale, one of the board’s representatives on the committee.

The Dairy Board’s association with the herd-testing movement was dealt with in an address by Mr. C. A. Marchant, Government nominee on the Dairy Board. The work of the HerdRecording Council was discussed by the supervisor, Mr. C. M. Hume, and the research officer, Mr. A. H. Ward. Mr. Marchant stressed the need for the education of the average farmer in the need for herd-testing for the purposes of selection of sires of proven strains so as to increase and maintain herd production, and for selections for herd replacements. The general concern at the wastage in dairy herds through disease was referred to by Mr. A. Linton, a member of the Dairy Board. He outlined steps the board had taken to finance a vigorous research campaign into animal diseases. The question of combating animal diseases was one of the most vital affecting the industry. The board had come to the conclusion that it must initiate some action with a view to tackling the problem. Contributions For Research. The board, said Mr. Linton, had offered £2500 a year for five years co'n/itional on the Government providing a subsidy of £2 for £l. A condition of the offer was that the money be used for investigations into temporary sterility and mastitis. It was considered by the board that not less than £7OOO or £BOOO was necessary. The board had contributed £lOOO a year to the Herd Recording Council for certain phases of its work and £l5O toward the expenses of the visit of Dr. Hucker to Nelv Zealand. The conference carried a resolution commending the action taken by the board.

Before the conference concluded, Mr. C. P. Agar (Tai Tapu) moved a vote of thanks to the chairman, the members of the board and the board’s staff. He wanted the board to realise that the conference looked upon it as the head of the industry, and wanted it to be a little bolder and not allow itself to be pushed into the background. For the board not to be consulted about the price fixed for butter-boxes was unfortunate, and wages for workers on dairy farms had been fixed without consulting the board, which the conference regarded as the head of the industry. The conference did not want to see'the board members pushed into the background. Returning thanks on behalf of the board and its staff, Mr. Murdoch said the board appreciated the reasonableness the conference had displayed. He took it that the conference was of opinion that the board should take a definite line of action to control the industry. The guaranteed price scheme was a part of the Government’s policy and the same applied to the butter-box scheme. The board would on all occasions endeavour to uphold them and watch the interests of the industry.