DAIRYING PROBLEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21968, 27 November 1934, Page 13

DAIRYING PROBLEMS

ASSISTING INDUSTRY / EFFORTS of government SCOPE FOR NEW COUNCIL !>v TELEGRAPH —rOWN COR It KSPON RENT] . WELIiSFORD. Monday Dairy legislation and other efforts to assist the industry were referred to'bv the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. C. E. Macmillan, at the official opening of the new dairy factory at Te Hana to- ' day.. , . Mr. Macmillan referred to his long connection with the dairy industry, saying he commenced dairy farming.in , the Bay of Plenty in 1902. He stated that he had been largely responsible for the establishment of the Dairy Board and /iad found in his dealings i with the , bpard that its suggestions showed sound judgment. >He criticised those who were against every new proposal as he considered the industry would never get. out of its difficulties except by trying new methods. Mr. Macmillan mentioned specially the opposition there had been to the introduction of milk grading. He considered grading had been responsible for an ■ improvement in the Dominion's cheese The Minister outlined the efforts of the Government in connection with the bobby calf industry, which was necessary to provide a supply of veils for - rennet. He said an endeavour was madu by certain sections to have pork and real exports dealt with by the Dairy Board instead of the Meat Board. However, he read a resolution he had received from the New Zealand Pig Breeders' Association, to the effect that the council of the association wished to express its appreciation of the efforts of the Meat Board to further the interests of the pig industry. The council trusted that every endeavour would be n&de to maintain the Meat / Board's control of pork and bacon, in preference to allowing the control of ihese products to reach other hands. Mr. Macmillan stated that the council of agriculture Bet up under recent legislation would be able to act in regard to pork, veal and boneless beef. The council;would be the official body on agricultural questions. Mr. - Macmillan referred to the difficulty New Zealand had in finding a U market for its growing dairy produce exports arid considered the new council would 1)e able to co-ordinate the export work of the meat and dairy boards, especially in finding new markets. It was essential in the interests of the Dominion as a whole that new markets 'should be found and so it was 7 just that the Dominion as a ■ whole fjhonld contribute to the cost. If the Government,contributed to the cost it was entitled to representation on the council. Provision//was made in the new Act, Raid the Minister, for financial assist- ' ance to dairy companies and dairy farmers for better equipment to improve the quality of their produce.

NEW SYSTEM DEFENDED m ■ • MR. J. 2s 7 . MASSEY'S VIEWS. The benefits from the setting up of * supreme council of production and trade would make 1 themselves apparent within a Short time, said Mr. J. N. Mnssey, M.P., speaking at the official opening of the new Ramarama ; -".Hall. Britain_had realised that' if the Dominions were to continue to pay interest to hfer the prices of their produce must increase, continued Mr. Massey. The Ottawa agreemeut had bought that end by putting tariffs on foreign produce entering Britain. Some countries had been able to jump the tariff wall by internal currency manipulation or subsidy. Britain was thus V forced bacls to the question of quotas. The neiV council set up in New Zealand would be in a position to enter on a plan of Empire-wide co-operation when quotas had definitely to be faced. By assisting the dairy industry in New Zealand to increase the superfine pro-v portion of ,the produce, by better advertising ahd by the adoption of pure principles of co-operation, the council should soon by making its influence felt, and it would be only a little while before the dairy industry would be finding its position definitely improving. At present it was difficult to under-

stand why -New Zealand dairy produce should he selling at 40s to 50s per cwt. below Danish. The state of affairs , under which New Zealand _ butter was Belling at lid per lb. retail in England, while butter in France and Germanv was 3s per lb. was one which also might be tackled under a scheme of Empire co-operation.

CRITICISM PROM FARMERS ; I ~f MEETINGS OF PROTEST HELD A unaniipous vote in support of the New Zealand Farmers' Union's efforts to oppose the provisions of the new dairying legislation was passed at a meeting of Cambridge district farmers, which addressed by Mr. H. O. Mellsop, president of the Auckland Provincial Farmers' Union. Mr. S. N. Ziman presided. After criticising the findings of the commission in detail, Mr. Mellsop assorted that the main objection was to the fget that the commission offered no immediate benefit to farmers, but only increased their present costs. I Mr. Mellsop also addressed a meeting of farmers in the Te Awamutu district. Resolutions were parsed protesting against the "arbitrary appointment <;f a supreme council to control the dairy industry," and commending the Farmers' Union in opposing provisions of the Agriculture (Emergency Powers) Act. / A Press , Association telegram from Dannevirke stated that a conference of dairy farmers held at Dannevirke on Saturday passed a resolution favouring producers' representatives on the executive commission being nominees of the Dairy Board and Meat Board. It -- was also recommended that elected members of, the Dairy Board should be increased by one and Government nominees reduced accordingly j that the Dairy Board urge upon the Government the necessity of subsidising the price of butter-fat'to dairy producers to an extent that would enable the industry to carry on; that immediate steps should be taken to reduce farm costs, and to this end that a rural finance corporation be brought into force immediately.