POULTRY REGISTRATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21239, 20 July 1932, Page 14

POULTRY REGISTRATION.

Sir, —A small section of -the poultry keepers are taking drastic steps to draw us all into a serious position, viz., compulsory registration, and the stamping of all the eggs sold from 13 birds or more. ; I ask poultry keepers to think what this, would mean to those holding 13, or 1300 hens ? Registration fee on the latter number would amount to 32s 6d; labour and loss in breakage with stamping would certainly cost threepence every 150 eggs, or £1 5s for 100 birds per year. We are absolutely governed up to the hilt-. To have further restrictions and taxation would be as the last straw to the camel's back. My opinion is that egg-producers are not asking for this bill to be passed. The canvassing agents in the movement are probably looking forward to a position where the full amount raised by taxation may pass- through their hands. I am sure all will agree that it is out of sense and reason that housewives and others keeping from 13 to 50 birds should bo over-ruled by Act of Parliament. We have all the organisations and keen merchants necessary for handling and exporting our eggs, when times "and conditions are favourable. .Unlucky 13.

Sir, —My attention has been drawn to a letter signed "One of the Stragglers," which appeared in your issue of July 12 relativo to the proposed poultry registration bill, and in regard to which I dissire the opportunity of making some comments. Your correspondent bolsters up the debit side, but totally ignores resultant credits. While not admitting his estimate that the original registration fee of approximately per bird would be increased to sjd per bird, or £2 5s lOd per 100, owing to the cost of stamping of eggs and breakages, I would point out that an increase of Id per dozen in the price of eggs on the local market during the four months of the flush season as a result of using a portion of the registration fees for a reserve fund to subsidise export, would mean an increase in the sale of eggs from 100 birds for that period of £2 12s Id, leaving a credit balance of 6s 3d to the poultrykeeper instead of a dead loss of £2 5s lOd, as your correspondent infers. The consensus of opinion among thoughtful, experienced, leading poultrykeepers is that the price of eggs under this scheme could be maintained at 2d or 3d per dozen higher during the flush season than would be the case without any export. Using your correspondent's own estimate of "the annual production per bird, an increase of 2d per dozen eggs on the local market during the flush season, would return an additional £5 4s 2d to the owner of 100 birds, as against his estimated cost of the registration scheme of £2 5s lOd per 100. >Does this represent a "costly affair to the poultry keeper"! There is no intention to exploit the consumer, but the producer must make » living. The export question is, however, only one aspect of the subject. The comprehensive organisation of poultry keepers throughout the Dominion, to be incorporated in one association determined to safeguard and develop the industry, would in itself more than justify 'lie registration proposals.. No plan for the organisation of the poultry industry can possibly be a success without a measure of compulsion. In regard to the disfigurement of eggs as the result of stamping, your correspondent makes a mount a n out of a molehill. Is he aware that for years past one of the most successful egg marketing concerns in New Zealand has been stamping its eggs with a registered brand, and has built up an exceptional business on that system? Your correspondent would lead your readers to believe that the registration fee of 2s 6d per 100 is nothing more nor less,than a tax on poultry keepers, whereas it is a co-operative pooFng scheme, whereby every penny contributed by poultry keepers, less the cost of. administration and collection, will ba paid back by the Government to the poultry-keepers' organisation for expenditure *in furthering the best interests of their industry. J. N. McLean, Organiser, N.Z. Poultry Association. Wellington, July 15, 1932.