NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 22 June 1923, Page 2

NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION

LAST DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. J " I When the annual conference of the | National Dairy Association resumed at \ Palmerston North on Thursday morn- ! ing the chairman said there was still a remit from the Itiverbank Dairy Company, which had been held over pending the decision of the meeting j with regard to the Control Bill. j | The remit provided for the recon- ' [struction of the National Dairy As- I \ sociation and the formation of a new limited company—limited by shares. Mr. Harding (United) said he had been in communication with the River- | bank Company, and on account of the ' Control Bill being supported by the conference he had been instructed not to move the remit. " j DAIRY RESEARCH. j The chairman again brought up the matter of the necessity for the establishment of some means whereby more informatin might be obtained by the j carrying out of research work on more J advanced lines. He accordingly moved j that in view of the great importance of i the dairying industry the fullest scienI tific information should be made avail.- . able and the Government impressed with the necessity of having something established in the way of a. suitable i Government laboratory where research

j work could be carried out. Mr. Forsyth (Eltham), in seconding, . said that such an institution had been ! needed for some years past. When he and Mr. Murdoch were abroad they had visited a factory near. Chicago | which had an output of from 10,000 to : 12,000 tons of butter. This factory ! employed a .scientist who was world ■ famous, and ii: this was the ease they. ! surely the New Zealand industry as ; a whole was worthy of the services of I a man of equal standing. Mr. Marx (Mangatoki) thought that everyone in the room would support ■ the resolution. | Mr. Singleton said that the matter I had been before, them in one form or another for many years, and as yet they had not been able to report much progress. Certain tests were at present . made in dairy factories, but there were . extraordinary troubles which called for [the services of a scientific man. They 'as laymen could see that a man . for research work would be a man who , would be able to go beyond their . horizon, and speaking fqr' the Dairy Division he would certainly welcome the co-operation of such a man. As a man who had had experience in Canada , and the United States he could say , that the dairy factory managers in j N/e-w Zealand were doing .excellent \ work, but that was not to say that the • industry could not do better if it had the assistance of a scientific man. Mr. J. B. Murdoch (Hawera) asked if it would not be advisable to have classes for factory managers in 'a Government laboratory. He thought I that the instruction that' they would , set would prove a tremendous* help in carrying out their work during the season, and if his suggestion could be included it would be a good thing. Mr. J. S. Tosland (Pihama) endorsed the words of Mr. Singleton and Mr. Murdoch. Such a large industry as the dairying industry of New Zealand warranted the expenditure which would be entailed. Mr. Moss (Eketahuna) supported Mr. Murdoch's suggestion. He had noticed an exhibit at the Palinerstou show of two pounds of milk which had been analysed, so that the water content, the casein, the butter-fat, the suo-ar of milk, and the ash were shown It had occurred to him that if milk contained so much water, v/hy did the dairy farmers water their milk. Mr. Moss said they had got to progress and they could only do that by bringing in scientific aid. They could not keep to the old rule of thumb; they had already experienced benefits resulting from scientific research, and therefore they must recognise the value of science to the industry. Mr. T. Ranford said that at present factories were very much in the dark with regard to their managers. Usually the directors too!-: into consideration their grading rates, and then went on an interview a s to what the'r overrun would be. fie suggested that there should be some test which factory managers could pass. Mi-. Gibson (RaboUi) pointed out that a manager must also be a manager of men. to Mr Brechin (Pahiatua) said that Mr. Itanford had put his finger on the [pulse of the subject. If co-operative | dairy companies were commercial concerns, then the directors would be in a, position to take care that not only were their managers managers of men but scientific men. If Mr. Ranford's suggestion were carried out, dairy company directors—who were not business men, but farmers-would be in a position to find out whether their managers were scientific men as well as managers of men. .The motion was then put and carried without dissent. ♦ IMQ ft/,' ¥ id<itet °n. Present of the South Island Association, waited on trie conference and asked support of the following resolution, which had been passed unanimously by his association■lhnt the Government be ur^ed to bring down legislation wohibitme free trade in contagiously 'diseased dairy stock." J Speaking in support of his resolution Mr. Middleton pointed out that if he could go to the Government armed with authority from the North Island as well as the South the Government would nave to take the matter un. The whole pt the industry was asking for the legislation. fj e \- mVI , t j, ai . the Q overn _ ment did not like to bring down destructive measures, and the producers i did not hke to have to ask them to do So, but they could not get away from • compulsion. He held that the passim* ! on ot diseased cattle was much more serious than the passing on of bad money. Such diseases as mammitLs ! abortion and sterility had to be foupht along the lines of hi* motion, and had a tremendous bearing on the average ! amount of butter-fat produced dci- cmv Jlus was a case whore the conunon interest should not be endangered because of individual interest. . Mr. F. Ranford (Stratford), in seconding, said it was absolutely necessary that some measure of restriction should be placed on unsmnmtous dealers. j A discussion on vaTious diseases common to cattle followed, after which the motion was carried without distent. GOVERNMENT TESTERS. Mr. E. McDonald (To H or o) moved the following motion: "That this meeting is strongly of nniuion that in the interests of the public its well as this industry that a * Gov-ornmont official who is a orartiwii. on. I ooinuetent tester should attend at factories when required to test thp milk of individual cows, and that the executive should

press this matter with the Agricultural Department of the Government.'' i The motion was only seconded pro forma, on© delegate staling "There has t been a lot of talk duringiJie conference about running our own business, and this is a case where we can do ; that." j The motion was lost. j UNFAIR INCOME TAX. ; Mr. Harding (United) moved that the executive be asked to again bring before the Prime Minister the unfairness of the present system of income tax on dairy companies. I The motion was carried unanimously. j UNIFORM ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION. J A motion moved by Mr. Marx on ' behalf of Mr. Tosland (Pihama) to the effect that it be a recommendation to the N.D.A. to formulate uniform articles of association for the industry was lost, Mr. McDonald stating that : the matter was already before the association in another form. j The conference closed with a hearty vote of thanks to the chair.