Bobby Calf Trade

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 64, 17 March 1938, Page 5

Bobby Calf Trade

TARANAKI FARMERS’ VIEWS The North Taranaki provincial executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union has decided to give its support again to the Dominion executive in its endeavour to secure that powers should be given to the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board to take charge, if necessary, of the bobby calf industry. The president, Air. 11. E. Blyde, said the Farmers' Union had always been behind the Dairy Board in this matter. No one appreciated the difficulties of the position more than the Dairy Board and the Farmers' Union, and farmers would be unanimous in agreeing that the proposals should be supported. Mr. H. A. Hunt said the additional expense involved would swallow up a great deal of what the farmer now got fof his calves. They would probably have to meet the expense at a lower rate for calves than they were now' receiving. Farmers were being controlled quite enough without inviting any further control. The average farmer really knew very little about the bobby calf industry, said Mr. C. M. Sorenson. Last year, however, 1.011,000 calves were handled and the price of skins dropped from Is 6d to lOd per lb. As it was estimated there would be a loss to the exporters of about £50,000. It was obvious producers would get less this year than they had last year. Somebody was going to rationalise the industry and " was better that this should be done by the producer himself and not by the vested interests. Mr. Sorenson said small pools were not in the best interests of the industry and one pool for the whole of Taranaki, operated for instance by the Federation of Dairy Companies, would eliminate competition and a great deal of unnecessary loss on transport. Producers would get 2s less than last year no mdtter who controlled the industry. The president pointed out that the proposal was not for the Dairy Board to take control of the industry, but that it should be given power to step in to protect a pool where such a course was ronsidered necessary for the protection of the industry. Such a proposal would ensure that the farmer "vould get all there was to be had for his calves. SUPPORT IN TE AWAMUTU TE AWAMUTU, March 14. An announcement that his company had agreed to take a referendum of suppliers on proposals for the rationalisation of the bobby calf industry, and had decided to recommend their acceptance, was made by Mr. J. T. Young, a member of the board of directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Com-

pany, Limited, at a meeting of the Te A walnut u Bobby Calf Nationalisation Comimttee.