DAIRY INDUSTRY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 23 June 1927, Page 5

DAIRY INDUSTRY

N.D.A. CONFERENCE. THE YEAR REVIEWED. DISCUSSION BY DELEGATES

i, > 1 ki.WjHAPH"TK.ISSB ASSOCIATION.; ROTORUA, June 22. The annual meeting of the National Dairy Association opened to-day, with Mr. A. Morton (president) as chairman. The attendance was 400. The Mayor (Mr. T. McDowell), and Mr. H. M. Martin, on behalf of the County Council, welcomed the visitors.

The thirty-third annual report .stated that the year’s dairying production had been good, as the climatic conditions had been extremely favourable, ‘particularly in Auckland territory, where records had been created. Taranaki had had rather a late start, but had sin-re done well. Figures showed' that New Zealand in 1926 supplied 19.8 per cent of Great Britain’s total butter importations, and 49.6 per cent cheese importations. The quantity of butter graded in New Zealand from August 1, 1926, to April 30, 1927. was- 66,456 tons, being a 12.3 ner cent, increase over the corresponding period of the previous year. The cheese graded was 70,517 tons, showing a 3.1 per cent, increase. The increase in the" butter-fat equivalent over the period was 9.1 per cent. The report gave a review of the fluctuations in the price of dairy produce. The course of the market had; not Van particularly satisfactory. The direse producers were not likely to have a disadvantage in comparison with butter suppliers. The low prices ruling in Britain for meat, together with the general economic position. w«re unquestionably factors in. the situation.

PROGRESS OF THE INDUSTRY. The report dealt with the progress made in various phases of the dairy industry. Compulsory grading had resulted in a marked improvement in the cream received by the factories. As a result there had been a distinct advance in the grading points allotted. Considering the success of the compulsory grading of cream, the suggestion was made as to whether grading should not lie applied to milk. Although difficulties were admitted, the improvement of quality was of primary importance. Other points touched upon were herd testing, the decrease in the price of fertilisers, and the representations made for tariff revision. There was free discussion on the bal-ance-sheet and the loss on the operations of the year. . Mr. Srna.ll (Kairanga) said he would not criticise the directors for the loss sustained, but offered his sympathy. “We simply cannot afford to quarrel among ourselves at this juncture,” stated Mr. Dynes Fulton (chairman, of directors of the New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company), in voicing an appeal for a broad-minded view of the matter. “Other fellows, you know (a voice : ‘You mean Goodfellow’) have made every effort to wipe us out, and the association must realise that. We know perfectly well efforts are l being made by many people to wipe us off the slate.”

Mr. Fulton .made reference to the chairman and secretary’s offer to reduce their salaries. If the offer were accepted it would be a retrogressive step. It was wrong in principle. Messrs. Thomas Bassett (Auckland) and A. Morton (Taranaki) were returned unopposed as directors, while Dir. J. G. Brechin defeated Mr. E. Maule by 115 votes to 29 for the Wellington seat.

The chairman said 1 it gave him great pleasure to meet such a large gathering. He referred to the production of the manufactured article, saying that although the amount was fairly well maintained, themndnstry was not making progress. They were not going hack, hut, in veiw'of the large areas available, /they had not made the progress they should, which was surprising. This was not because' of want of suggestions. A notable exception was North Auckland. There they ha d had to increase the size of their, factories. Perhaps it was their better climate, hut the season as whole had heen favourable. The north’s progress was due to bettor method® and. fertilisers. Mr. Morton was pleased to say the duality of their product had advanced. This was due to grading and also to the initiation of superfine grading. Credit was also due to the factory managers. There had' been no adverse reports from London. He referred to urLes. which, he said, was a delicate so beet. There had been a <reneral fall : n the price of products this year.

IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY. Mr. Morton said he gave the conference a note of warning three years ago that they could meet this only by increased production. The decreased prices of their products covered everything except wool, beef and lamb. Pork had been lower, and this had; been disappointing, as they had expected l extra good prices owing to the importation of pork from the Continent having been vetoed in England. This might have been caused by the economic state of the Oid Country or the resumption of the' gold standard. During last year advance had been made in the matter of research, which was being pushed by the Government establishing laboratories. Herd testing was not carried out as closely as- it ought to be, If carried out consistently it would mean an increase of millions. The Waikato showed a substantial increase. They must adopt better methods of herd‘testing and consistent top-dressing, the latter paying handsomely. Mr. Morton conelnded by moving the adoption of the report. This was seconded by Mr. Maule, who said he could not congratulate the •lssoriation on its balance-sheet. If they had been a new company he could have understood the mistakes, hut an old company, to confess that they had traded on too low a percentage and that overhead charges were larger than they expected, was incomprehensible. Mr. Brown criticised the balancesheet severely.

Mr. Kvle (Palmerston North) congratwalted the association on the assumption “that it might have done worse.”

' In reply to questions, the chairman informed the delegates that the only two officials whose salaries had l>een mt down were the secretary and the chairman of directors.

Mr. Backhouse (secretary) said- they recognised the position of the association. They expected, with the loyalty of the directors of factories, to clear the adverse balance in a year or two. The association was saving the dairying industry a matter of £60,000 per annum. They could supply any factory with machinery and fertilisers. hut they must re'eive the support of the directors.

Messrs. - Hayward (Maungatapu) and

Taylor (Hikurangi) spoke in support. Mr. Mogridge (Auckland) complained of the differentiation in charges by the association, and was assured by Mr. Backhouse that this would be nonrecurrent.

After the lunch adjournment Messrs. Small and Fellow spoke sympathetioally opposing the curtailment of. salaries, and the motion was put and carried. Palmertson North was fixed as the location of the next conference.

REMITS DISCUSSED

A Morrinsville remit that the New Zealand Railways be approached l by the association to grant monthly ledger accounts to dairy companies was lost after considerable talk. The following Morrinsville remit was carried unanimously: “That it be a recommendation from this conference that a section of the proposed dairy school be devoted 1 entirely to research work in cattle diseases, especially mammitis and abortion, in view of the heavy toll these diseases claim.”

“That in. view of the present low rates for dairy produce it he a- recommendation from this conference that no further levy he collected by the Dairy Produce Board, and that part of the surplus funds accumulated to date be refunded to the dairy companies.” This remit was held 1 pending Dir. Grounds’s address to' the meeting.

A remit from Pahiatua was as follows: “That this conference congratulates the Dairy Board upon the arrangement made with the ‘Exporter’ a.s its official organ to convey the offi-. cial news of the hoard’s doings _ to every dairy farmer in the Dominion, as by this wise and far-seeing action the dairy industry has heen enabled) to secure knowledge of - facts not otherwise available. Further, this* conference wishes to place on record its appreciation of the manner in which the ‘Exporter’ has carried out its work and the service thereby rendered to the industry. and expresses its special appreciation of the new service lately instituted of supplying information to prepare and improve the quality of dairy produce, as it is convinced this service will he of incalculable 'benefit in furthering the industry and its individual members: and that a copy of this resolution "be forwarded to the Dairy Board and the editor of the ‘Exporter. ’ ”

This remit aroused) a storm of invective. mostly general, against the Press of the Dominion. Speakers, both for and against, very strongly expressed their opinions. u The remit was carried by a narrow majority.