MARKETING N.Z. BUTTER

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12315, 9 December 1925, Page 7

MARKETING N.Z. BUTTER

MISLEADING STATEMENTS ALLEGED AGAINST MR GROUNDS SHOULD COMPULSION BE APPUED? SEVERAL INACCURACIES POINTED OUT [The compulsion phase of the Dairy Control Act is timed to come into operation on August Ist next, but before then it is certain that Parliament will be allowed l to know that many of those who are deeply interested have grave misgivings respecting the outcome of the scheme. The House will not meet later in the year than June, which allows it opportunity to postpone the operation of this phase of the scheme, if it feels that l it would be wise to take a little greater time to consider a subject of such gravity.

There appeared in yesterday’s issue of the “Times” a statement by Mr W. Grounds, chairman of the Dairy Control Board. This statement was discussed -with a “Times” representative by the ohairman of the Free Marketing League, an organisation which is in full support of the control policy, with the exception of interference with marketing ' ■ . ■ The ' chairman quoted from Mr Grounds’s statement this passage: — “We hope in this way t 6 maintain an even price for New Zealand prodace on the English market, just as the Danes, by a similar policy, do. Australia has also agreed to control, and has its organisation working in London.’’ EVEN .PRICE IMPOSSIBLE This statement from Mr Grounds is Said to contain several inaccuracies. First it is argued that it is not possible to maintain an even price on the English market. Then .it, is pointed, out that the Danes have not accomplished it, as Mr Grounds says. In proof of the assertion that the. Danes have not, Weddell’s chart, which is a recognised authority, was produced. It showed that in 1924 Danish butter stood at 156 in July, rose to 232 in December, was down to 170 in April, went straight up to 212 in May, and in the following month after wobbling a bit was back to 182. '

It is also said in answer to Mr Grounds that the Danes have no such policy: Mr Grounds says they have. The Danes 00-operate in various ways, bnt compulsion is entirely absent from their, methods. What they do is to have their cows coming in at all seasons of the year, have a supply of butter available continuously: send it straight off to the market an the time, and thus are able to put fresh bntter on the market all the year through. A further inaccuracy on the. part of Mr Grounds is said to. be his. statement respecting Australia. It is considered that he inferred that .Australia has compulsion, ■ and it is definitely said that this is not the fact; that Australia has the same sort of control as the New. Zealand Meat Board, which is not interference with marketing. reprimand considered due The chairman of the Free Marketing League expressed the opinion that Mr Grounds had made a statement which, in the circumstancee, was absolutely amazing. “Surely,” he said, “when a man accepts a position of such responsibility as he does when he becomes chairman

of a board which proposes to control compulsorily the marketing of. £20,000,000 of produce annually, it might be expected that he would be sure of the accuracy of his utterances before he made them. How can a man fitted for the position make such statements? If he doea not know that, these statements are incorrect, how is the control going to progress under a man who knows so little of the facts? The reprimand we consider due to him is because of Bis careless, misleading statements to the Press.”

“A SMASH IN JANUARY" CONTROL BOARD BLAMED REGULATE ARRIVALS AT HOME. A “New Zealand Times” reporter was yesterday informed that the comments of Mr Goodfellow regarding the fall in butter prices, which were published in the “Times” yesterday, nad met with severe criticism in dairy produce circles. v “It is true,” said the informant, “that over 14.000 tons of New Zealand butter will arrive on the Home market during January, but Mr- Goodfellow has omitted to state the estimated quantity of New Zealand blitter to arrive at Home during February and March. These figures are well known to members of the Dairy Control Board, .and individual butter factories are entitled to the information. It would then be seen that the total importations of New Zealand bntter into Great Britain during January, February, and March will not bo excessive, but unfortunately the Control Board has so arranged the shipments that the 14,000 tons arriving at Home during the first three weeks of January will be greater- than the, quantity arriving at Home during the following nine or ten weeks. Consequently a smash on the Home market during January is inevitable, and. the Control Board is responsible ;, and yet Mr Goodfellow has the audacity to claim that this is only another argument in favour of absolute control. Mr Grounds has endeavoured to blame the shipping strike for the congestion of shipments, hut Bis argument will not stand the light of close inspection. The steamers concerned were all allotted and loaded after, the strike ended, and could have been regulated the same as is now being done with the December and January departures. Surely the Meat Control Board has proved during the past two seasons that its first essential duty is to regulate the arrivals on the Home market from week to week, and until the Dairy Control Board act along similar lines the butter market is bound to suffer.”