TENDER GROUND

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 146, 22 June 1928, Page 9

TENDER GROUND

THE DAIRY TRADE STIRRING UP TROUBLE GKEEK VERSUS GREEK (From "The Post's" Reprpsentative.) LONDON, 2nd May. "Unfortunate" is tlio mildest term that can be applied to a certain advertisement appearing in the "New Zealand Dairy Produce Exporter," a journal reputed to be the official organ of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Export Board. ,The advertisement in question appears to have been inserted by the managing director of the Amalgamated Dairies, Limited, in the issue of- 24th March. His sentiment!! are unofficial, but immediately those sen-_ timents appear as an advertisement in what is proclaimed as the official organ of the Dairy Board, the whole of the board must shoulder the responsibility for them. Briefly, it may bo said that the .advertisement has done considerable damage to the dairy trade of the Dominion. The full-page advertisement is headed "Danger Ahead!" The following are some extracts from the advertisement:— "During recent years the Multiple Shop Companies and the C.W. S have concentrated enormous buying powers in the hands of a- few individuals who, by joint action (especially during our flush months), have the power to jnake' or break the .London market. Weak holders force .'sales, these big buyers hold,, off for a few' weeks, and down conies the price with a crash! "The Amalgamated Dairies, 'Ltd., is a group marketing company organised on co-operative principles for the improved marketing of dairy produce. It is organised to successfully combat the bid for supreme power by big produce groups operating on the London market. <':We believe the only possibility'of a fair return to the producer in New Zealand—and other countries —is to meet, group buying with group selling. When Greek meets Greek let the fight at least be equal! ' "A ••irnpaign of detraction and personal maligriment has already commenced, and is now in progress throughout New Zealand. "The object of our detractors is to throw dust in the eyes of dairy directors, and thereby prevent our scheino succeeding. Tho same tactics were used by the samo people. to kill dairy control. "Producers must combine; otherwise, disaster lies'ahead." . INOPPORTUNE AND ILL-ADVISED. ( Kemembering the unpleasant atmosphere that was created by the. Dairy Board when they were operating their compulsory clauses, producers must recognise .that some of the statements in the foregoing are decidedly; inopportune and ill-advised. Those, responsible fo.r allowing the advertisement to appear considered, perhaps, that it would bo seen only by the people reading the journal jn the Dominion. Agents of the importers saw it, and they,-very naturally, sent numerous copies of.the journal to their principals in Tooley street. The matter lias been freely discussed in London, and those interested have "oven considered whether the statements are such as.to warrant instituting proceedings in-a Court of Law. It may bo said, however,, that no such action will be taken. The fact remains that New Zealand, as a dairy producing country, was in bad odour when the control was In effect. The producers paid for the ill-advised experiment, and it would have been wise to let the mattor drop altogether, so as to provide an opportunity for the Dominion to recover its good name. The London representative of the board, by his personality and good sense, had, been doing much to wipe out the- bad impression. He had realised that the personal touch means much in the dairy trade at this end, and the distributors were gaining 'confidence in him. Now, however, ho may well say: "Save me from my friends." One of his duties in this country, is to carry on publicity campaigns on behalf of New Zealand butter and cheese. Supposing he should go to those responsible for a group of the multiple shops in a certain district and ask them to help him in his publicity by exhibiting his posters and making a display of the New Zealand produce, he could hardly expect a good reception. "Yes," they might reply, "but what about this advertisement?". The London representative could say no more. From an authoritative source in Tooley street-1 have the information that one of the multiple shops organisations, 'as the result of this advertisement, has given instructions to its buyers to avoid New Zealand butter so long as they can get something else that suits their purposed If it is necessary to-buy New Zealand butter they may do so, but they must avoid it as much as they can. THE BENEFIT OP OTHER COUNTRIES. Again, in another office, where I saw the head of one of the most powerful of the Tooley street firms a group of men who matter in the trade spoke sparingly of New Zealand methods, but with a certain contempt and pity. "Let them have their fun," said one. Ho implied it would hurt no one but themselves. "All I will say at present/ said the head of the firm in question, 'is that such statements as those in the advertisement are doing other dairy producing countries a lot of good." A particular friend of New Zealand who has its trade much, at heart exclaimed: "It is most unnecessary and ill-advised. It is alienating tho sympathy of the distributors, and stirrinff up trouble." , It is not necessary to discuss the accuracy of the statements made in the advertisement. The fact that the Dairy Board have fathered tho advertisement is the important point. Even though the statements could bo proved to be.true, 'Aero are times when the truth should not be told in glaring advertisements. The object of the board at the present time should be to give their London representative every opportunity of restoring confidence and of re-creating the pleasant atmosphere which once existed.