DAIRY PRODUCE EXPORT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 20 October 1922, Page 2

DAIRY PRODUCE EXPORT.

I ORGANISATION THE GREAT NEED THE CONTROL PROPOSAL. MR. NOSWORTHY EXPLAINS. The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Nosworthy), speaking at Paraparaumii, made reference to the objects of the proposed dairy pool. The idea underlying the proposal to set up a board for the dairy industry, said the Minister, was that New Zealand should be kept in the forefront of the British overseas possessions in organisation for marketing purposes. Before the passing of the Meat Export Control Act the prospects for meat and wool had been as black as possible. The producers had been told that the markets were glutted. In every way the position had been painted as hopeless. Li the face of/ considerable opposition ffom interested parties, the Government had put through the Meat Export Control Act, and hardly had a board been formed when it was revealed that there was no serious glut in the Old Country. The. meat market rose, and to-day very fair prices were being obtained. The Meat Export Control Board was the outcome of a determination that the producers should take their business into their own hands, and have a responsible board which would keep entirely familiar with market conditions, and take steps to improve the position if It was found that the meat was no. being dealt with satisfactorily through the usual channels. The Dairy Bill now before Parliament had been drafted with the object of giving the producers power to have a board which would watch their interests, keep continually apprised of market conditions, and find new markets. Along with the Meat Board, the Dairy Board would be able to go to the shipping interests, and, speaking with one voice for all the producers of the country, negotiate contracts for the carriage of the whole of the country's produce overseas.- Unions was strength. ' If the producers engaged in I co-operation on a. national scale they would be able to strengthen their posi- ' tion, and add greatly to the national inheritance. I He did not wish his hearers to interpret his speech as .a criticism of the shipping interests. New Zealand must have-first-class shipping on account of its great distance from the Old-Coun-try, and he believed that it had good shipping available. The country should, however, be able to arrange, for the shipment of its produce in such a way that the present fluctuations in cargowould be avoided. It would be to the advantage not only of the producers and the shipping companies, but to the advantage of the whole Dominion, to have the export of produce better organised. What Denmark had done had been ' achieved by organisation. Denmark, however, was comparatively near the British market .^ New Zealand, being far away, required to make an even greater effort of organisation than Denmark had. made. . One of the great troubles of New Zealand had been that in a good season, unsystematic, shipment had led to the arrival of great quantities of produce on the market at the one time. Slumps had resulted, and the speculator had been given an opportunity of buying cheaply and selling again at-a | profit. He had no quarrel with the legitimate speculator, but it was to the ; interests of the New Zealand produc- , ei-s to supply the London market in .. such a way that the output would not .be dumped on the' market all at the one time. One of the main objects of the present proposal was that the producers should be able to see-that the .- market was regularly and evenly; fed, and a more even price ohtaihed* " Some would say that the aim of the promoters of the Dairy Produce Export :. Control Act was to boost' prices and j raise them unfairly against „ the con•'sumer. It. was nothing of the kind. All that the" producers looked for was a reasonable and dependable market. I It was not interference with business j that was aimed at, but organisation. Only by organisation could the people j of .New Zealand succeed Iq The rivalry - j with their competitors. ■* j j ' . -.I^== {