THE DAIRY YEAR

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 142, 18 June 1919, Page 16

THE DAIRY YEAR

FIXED PRICE OF BUTTER

FARMERS' GRIEVANCE VOICED,

(BY TELEORAPnO (PROM OUII SPECIAL REPORTER.)

PALMERSTON N., This Day.

The National Dairy Association Conference this year was as largely attended

as usual.

Mr. A. Morton, president, in moving the adoption of the report and balancesheet (already published in abridged form in The Post) remarked upon the loss to the Empire of men and money by the war, and expressed the hope that it might never again be necessary for the Mother Country to call upon New Zealand —which had nobly done its part—in the defence of their common freedom and liberty which they all held so dearly. He referred to the paramount necessity of increasing production in order to discharge their financial obligations on account of the war. They had not in recent years increased their production because so many circumstances had I militated against them. Herds had been reduced or disbanded altogether for want lof sufficient labour. Help on the dairy farm was now very costly, and the work of development of the farms had greatly increased. Price fixing, too, would account for reduction of production. The Government had had undoubted evidence from its own officers that butter could not be produced to pay at the price fixed for sale in the local I market. If prices must be fixed for necessities, then the dairy farmer should not have been singled out for special treatment. The cost should be defrayed from the consolidated revenue, so that the burden should be borne by all alike. The Government had been approached again and again on this subject, but no reply had . been received. He understood that the matter would be held in .abeyance until the return of Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward. PRODUCTION AND QUALITY. Production, too, had been seriously reduced by unusually severe weather during the past dairying year The industry had been earned on under the greatest of difficulties;. nevertheless the quality had been creditably maintained, and a uniformly good article had been produced. But there ivas still room for improvement in this respect. They had but one customer —the Imperial Government —and one price. This fact did not tend to greater improvement in quality, the result of keen rivalry on the part of factory managers. It might be that the Imperial requisition of dairy produce would continue for longer than 31st July, 1920. If this were so, then they should be enlightened on the subject during the next few weeks.

Mr. Morton referred in detail to congestion of storage—last season in this respect was the worst they had yet experienced. It was not until January last that some of the 1917 season's cheese was cleared out.

The President dealt at length with the problem of packages for butter and cheese, in view of the pending exhaustion of white pine resources, and the need for a substitute. dried: milk question. j Dried milk next engaged his attention, and he referred to the steps taken in the Waikato for the production, of milk powder; and to the Taranaki action in investigating this great ■ subject—to ascortam how the fanner would obtain the very best results from the products of the cow. Messrs. Forsyth and Murdoch were on a visit of inquiry to America and the United Kingdom on this subject, and would make all inquiries, too, into marketing and other matters of interest to the industry. ,0n their return they might be accompanied by Mr. Ellison, London representative of the National Dairy Association.

Amalgamation of two big dairying concerns in the Auckland district was alluded to by the President. He warmly commended the amalgamation as in the best interests of the industry. What was good for Auckland might be found to be good elsewhere.

Mr. Morton championed the cause of underpaid factory managers, who, he held, should not be looked upon as ordinary employees by the company, but as members of the company itself.

The balance-sheet of the association was of a most satisfactory character. War bond investments had increased during the year by £2100—now totalling £3100. Income tax was £1703, due to increased profits. Working expenses had also increased. Members of the association should avail themselves more of the services of the staff. :

The report and balance-sheet were adopted without discussion.

Messrs. H. D. Forsyth and T._ Moss were elected directors of the association. Mr. C. D. Morpeth was re-elected auditor at a fee of 50 guineas.