BUTTER DISTRIBUTION AT HOME.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 147, 22 June 1904, Page 2

BUTTER DISTRIBUTION AT HOME.

m<:kd of better control. dlscubsion by national dairy association. (From Our Special Reporter.) PALMKHSTOiS N., 21st Juno. Ono of tho most important questions that hua yot agitated Ino minds of thobc in torched in tho dairying industry — namely, Iho improvement of the dislri-, buliou of dairy produce in tho Homo markets — was discufrwd by the National Dairy Association at iUt annual meeting to-day. The proposals of the executive of the association were that the New Zealand National Dairy Association bo tho medium of exchange, between buyer und seller, that factories joining the combine bo free to consign or sell at a fixed pi ice, and that, in the caso of consignment tho commission charged should not exceed 3.1 per cent. It v.as fiutlier proposed that in tho case of a sale through the association at a fixed pi ice, tho association lie entitled to a rcbalo of per cent., but in tho event of the association not being able to sell, and a sale being made by the factories diroct, tho rebate to tlid association should bo per cent. Tho association, it was proposed, should have the right to inspect all books and accounts in connection with consignment* if they considered it necessary to do so. j The association should invite offcis from British firms to do business, and should obtain reliable information as to the piobable value of dairy produce. j Tho subject was briefly introduced by | tho President (Mr. J. W. Foreman), who paid that the producers had very little I control over their produce after it had j been consigned to ftondm They had seen thciv butter reported by cable to have nrrived in excellent condition, and yet it had been sold at Id and %d below tho price of English butler. The arsociation wn« not pledged to the scheme drawn up, ana the assistance of members was desired in drawing up some plan of action. Mr. Harknesa (tho Scereta/y) said it must be evident to every producer that tho industry needed somo better means of distribution than it had got, and those who held this opinion were confirmed in their views when they saw the account salca of produce. New Zealand butter was oqual in many ruspocts to tho Danish article, and it whs hard io understand why, all through tho reason, there was a difference of 16s a cut in favour of Danish. A difference of 4s or 5s per cwt would bo understood, owing to the long dibtanco that tho Zealand butter had to travel, and he maintained Ihttt tho price obtained on account sales and the price in 'England showed that some one was reaping tho benefit that should go to tho producer. VnriouH schemes for conti oiling the rale and distribution had been put forward, but as y<jt tho producers had not reached tho stage of directly controlling the market at Home themselves. If, however, they could control 3000 or 1000 tons it would enable them to keep up tho price of New Zealand butter at Homo to a figure below which it would r.ot be sold.' Later, Mr- Harkncsw said that it was desired that a schemo should bo formulated, and then it would bo asked how many would come in. If even twelve or tiitcin factories enmo in, th«y would combine together and appoint their own agent or agente at Home, and tho rwulb Mould bo most beneficial to tho industry. It had been MiggeaU'd that the 1 association's scheme would stifle competition, but the industry did not rcqutro the competition which was dcsiicbtc in tho wool hado. inasmuch at tho wool was put up and tho world was invited to buy in open market, whilo the butler was not so disposed of. On rc-iunnug in the afternoon, Mr. Par- i lane, of Klth.iin, uigi'd Unit any scheme iulopUnl j>hnu!d bo in the direction of jftifk'imig the buck* of agent** at Home, lie saw an element of dungi'i 1 in the piomi.sul to lestrkt the number of iirm>> Limiting butter, us those squeezed out would direct tlu-ir energy to fwkring our rivals, and ho advocated that the nioiv activity and the more fair competition there whs among agents tho better it would be for "the industry. Jlo then moved that a, scheme bo adopted on the linos that tln> New Zealand Asuociatinu bo a legally qualified body to control tho export and hulo of dairy produce, nnd that all producers bo invitrd to juin ; those joining to execute a legal bond that they would acnl, sell, con&ign, etc, only with thoso firms and individuals which are members of n British-New Zealand Af-socintion, to bo composed of all merchants dealing in New Zealand dairy produce. Ho proiicwed, also, that an office bo opened in London in charge of a competent iniui, und Unit memiwr.M of tho Association elect four members, who, with tho agent as Chairman, should form an executive m Britain to fix tho minimum .wiling prices, etc. The -\ssocintion should, it wn« proposed, allocate tho question. 1 * of cost, contributions, etc. Within the limit iiforesoid members should bo freo.lo do their business upon terms nnd conditions most suitable to themselvwj. Jf A stint waB men made to discuss the Association proposals, arid in the couiho of a. wandering debate? Mr. John Holmes (Wellington) urged thnl tbo trouble was duo to n lack of unanimity. Eventually it wns decided to be impracticable to discuss tho two schemes, and the matter was left in tho hands of a committee constating of Messrs. Parlane, Morton, Reiuill, Broadbelt, Markw, and Dirtglp, and tho executive, with instructions to formulate a scheme to put before the factory owners.