MILK MARKETING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21938, 23 October 1934, Page 5

MILK MARKETING

BRITAIN'S NEW SCHEME OPPOSITION IN YORKSHIRE LIVELY FARMERS' MEETING [i HOM oun OWN correspondent] LONDON. Sept.. M A stormy scene is reported to have occurred at a mass meeting of West Yorkshire Hiding milk producers at Leeds. .It ended in the chief speaker, Mr. Thomas Baxter, head of the Milk Marketing Board, leaving the platform. Eight hundred farmers attended to hear the views of the board on the operation of the scheme as it affected the West Hiding. At present this section is grouped for prices with Lancashire, Cheshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire, and it is contended that this is unfair to the Yorkshire producers. Mr. H. W. Addison, of Bingley, chairman of the West Hiding Farmers' Union, who presided, outlined the negotiations that had taken place between the West Hiding Farmers' Union and the Milk Marketing Board. He said: "Wc are under the impression that before the scheme can be a success in the West Hiding it will bo necessary that there should.be some adjustment in regard to the regions. Wo have em-* phasised that point as far as our ability would go." Mr. Baxter reminded the meeting that ho had gone to Leeds just over a year ago to try to placate the milk producer-retailers- —a section of the industry who seemed to think they would come out of the milk marketing scheme worse off than anyone else. Now he understood there were no misgivings about the position of the producerretailers, but that the principal dissatisfaction came from the farmers who sold milk to the wholesalers. The result of the poll which decided the fate of the scheme was an enormous majority in favour of it, ho pointed out. A far bigger majority than any of them had expected voted for tho scheme. Organised Opposition Mr. Baxter added that if the system of individual selling for the best prices that could be got had continued for another year he had not tho slightest doubt that in a very short time prices would havo broken completely. The producer would have had to stand a very substantial part of the loss involved. Mr. J. M. Rayner (Leeds) said it was clear from Mr. Baxter's speech that the West Riding was not to receive any preferential treatment. They had proved their case time and time again. "I do not want Mr. Baxter to go away under the delusion that the West Riding is going to support the Milk Marketing Board under the present conditions," said Sir. Rayner. "Opposition in the past has been passive, but in the future it will be organised and on different lines. If it does come to open opposition the responsibility will be on the board, because it has refused to do anything." Mr. Baxter Leaves Meeting Mr. Baxter: You are beginning to threaten. You can't expect me to stay i and listen to this. I have to return on the 5.17 train. If you are going to take up this attitude, I must leave you to it. After Mr. Baxter had left the meeting, Mr. Addison protested against any suggestion that the situation might cause a split in the Farmers' Union. "No one is more dissatisfied with the scheme than I am," he said, "but I am terrified to think what will happen if we break away at this juncture. Disappointing though prices are, they will fall if we are to make individual bargains. It would not even be sixpence a gallon."'