THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission trough the Post as a Newspaper WEDNESDAY JULY 9, 1947. Dairy Marketing Bill

Northern Advocate, 9 July 1947, Page 4

THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission trough the Post as a Newspaper WEDNESDAY JULY 9, 1947. Dairy Marketing Bill

The Government yesterday introduced a bill to give effect to Lhe agreement it has reached with the dairying industry to place the control of the marketing of dairy produce in the hands of an independent commission.

The measure, which is entitled the Dairy Marketing Commission Bill, was read a first time, and as no opposition of a serious character is expected, it should become the law of the land with minimum delay. The commission will consist of seven members, three to be appointed from a panel of six names nominated by the industry and three by the Government, with an independent chairman.

By means of this legislation, the Government passes over to the industry a large measure of the control of its own affairs which has been in the hands of the state during the 11 years since the system of a guaranteed price for dairy produce was initiated.

There will thus be removed a cause of grievance which has militated against the wholehearted cooperation of the state and the dairying industry, which has felt that it should be master of its own house.

The Dairy Commission, instead of the state, will now be empowered to buy and market the industry’s output of butter and cheese for export, to fix the price to be guaranteed to producers, and to regulate the disposal of butter and cheese on the Dominion market.

Though the Government, as the supreme power in New Zealand, retains some rights of intervention if such should bo deemed necessary in the interests of the country, an undertaking has been given that it will not interfere unnecessarily with the operations of the Dairy Commission.

That undertaking was accepted freely by the conference which agreed upon the establishment of the commission, and, until evidence to the contrary is forthcoming, it may be expected that the dairying industry will be given full opportunity to demonstrate its ability to handle its own affairs.

Though it is necessary that the Dairy Commission Bill should be passed before the new dairy season opens in some three or four weeks time, the legislation should be given careful consideration in order that it may possess the fewest possible defects.