DAIRY ZONES

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 April 1937, Page 14

DAIRY ZONES

SIR. F. FRASER’S COMMENT. The scheme for the rationalisation of cream collection and butter manufacture in the Dominion is working successfully, according to a statement made by Sir Francis Frazer, deputyChairman of the Executive Commission of Agriculture, which drew up the plan. “I am quite sure that no company which has had a year of experience of the zoning system would go back to the rafferty rules under which one company raided another,” Sir Francis -said. “Companies which have amalgamated to eliminate redundant factories are very satisfied with the benefits which have accrued. A number of dairies have by now given the system a year’s trial, and in every case the companies have reported that the economic benefits and savings have been well ahead of the estimates submitted by the commission, and much greater than expected.”

Zoning had allowed reorganisation on a real co-operative basis, and had saved competition among overlapping groups, said Sir Francis. The companies had been allowed to effect real economies and conserve the quality of their produce. “I am satisfied that, the great, thing we have to light for is quality if we are going to hold a place in the English market.” he said.

Most districts in the North. Island, except for the Wairarapa and part of Taranaki, were zoned or being investigated for zoning. Some of the work had also been done in Canterbury Otago, and the West Coast. No organised opposition had' been met, though there had been some from smaller groups of producers, who probably feared, without reason, that their interests would be prejudiced.