VALUE OF CO-OPERATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 December 1928, Page 14

VALUE OF CO-OPERATION.

EXPEDIENCE IN DENMARK. MILK VENDING IN SCOTLAND. A splendid testimony to the value of co-operation in the dairying industry was given by Mr. C. J. Parlane. who has assumed the managership of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, and who has recently returned from a tour of England and America.

Mr. Parlane said his principal impression in discussing dairying with leading commercial men and leaders in the dairying business was that cooperation was being regarded as the one and only means by which dairy fanning could be made really profitable. This was heard on all sides, in America and on the Continent. Mr. Parlane found that in Denmark cooperation was really the national religion, and was not only employed at the manufacturing end of the business, but in the market end as well.

The Danish dairy farmer had long recognised that it was not only necessary to co-operate in marketing, but (hat the price must be fixed as well. The Danes naturally use discretion in the fixing of the price of their butter. Thev have to take into ae ount the market position in Britain, and even on a favourable market- use the necessary judgment in their price fixing, in order that the price will not seriously curtail consumption. The Danes, it was found, co-operated in every conceivable obase of their business. One reason why they have been encouraged to do this was because all their cooperative undertakings had been established in a manner that any farmer co-operating could not possibly escape bis obligations to his fellows. One of the most interesting recent developments in co-operation among farmers was the establishment of the Scottish Milk Association for the supply of milk to cities, continued Mr.

Parlane. It was giving the lie direct to the statement that the British farmer could not co-operate. Prior _to the formation of this big co-operative organisation, comprising at present over 2000 fanners, the milk dealers purchased their milk : supplies direct from the farmers individually, with the result that with price-cutting tactics the price of milk was very unsatisfactory. But immediately the association was established and collective selling was adopted by the co-operat-ing farmers much better prices were received. Although the association had bfeen in operation at the time of ]\lr. Pari a lie’s visit for only 18 months, if was distributing about 70,000 gallons of milk a day, mainly to the city of Glasgow, but on occasions actually railing tbe 'mills to London, a distance of 400 miles.