THE NATIONAL IMIRY ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 15

THE NATIONAL IMIRY ASSOCIATION.

The keen and intelligent interest manifested by the delegates in the many matters brought forward for discussion at the annual meeting of the National Dairy Association augurs well for the future of the dairy produce industry in the South Island, and it is evident that this annual conference will be fraught with great good in the remedying of the defects and the removal of the hindrances which at present militate against the steady improvement of the quality of both butter and cheese. The delegates were favoured by the presence in their midst of Mr Kinsella, the Chief Dairy Commissioner, and we shall take early opportunity to refer to the many valuable hints and the sound advice tendered by him to factory managers and others in- the course of his extremely practical addresses. Mr Harkness, the secretary of the North Island Dairy Association, and a veteran dairyman, was able to clear away a little misunderstanding which had arisen in some minds in respect to the new ocean freight contract ; in addition, his visit to the south will help to cement the twin Associations more closely together, so that in all important policy matters there may be concerted action on the part of the producers. To those who remember the early daya of the dairy industry, and the cry that was raised against Government interference in grading and other directions, the present progressive attitude of dairymen generally is little short of a revelation of what education will accomplish. There appeared to be a concurrence of opinion that the Government had not done its duty by the dairy industry when the large sums spent in other directions were taken into consideration, and the general trend of the resolutions passed was to reiterate the decisions arrived at in the past and, by engaging the inter-> ests-. of the members for the several electorates wnere dairying is a promi-

nent feature, to endeavour to get some portions of those demands acceded to. One delegate took exception to the remark made by the Minister of Lands at the opening of the Winter Show, when lie classed flax as tEird in importance in the colony's exports, whereas dairy produce was undoubtedly entitled to that position. And Sir Harkness placed things in their right light when he declared that at the present rate of increase in five years' time the export of butter and cheese would be of greater money valite than the export of frozen meat. It is because the industry is developing so splendidly that those engaged in the production of dairy produce consider themselves entitled to more favoured treatment, and' the com.-, prehensiveness of their demands indicates a wide and intelligent outlook. Tfiere is, for instance, the butter box question. The export of white pine is already ha/ving an effect in increasing the cost of butter boxes, and apprehension is felt lest in the near future the available supplies of timber suitable for this purpose will fall short of requirements. Clearly this is a case in which the Government should in some way intervene and control the export ; but hitherto all representations have been fruitless. The railway freights form another grievance, and the concessions just obtained on ocean freights emphasise the need of relief. As one speaker pointed out, the factories pay freight on the timber when it comes in for boxes and pay another freight on the same timber when the boxes go out filled with butter. Not only do the factories clamour for their produce to be carried on the railways at net weight, the same as on the steamers, but they also ask for a reduction to grain rates, as well as a differential rate which will place the factory at a distance from the shipping port in as goad a position as the factory near at hand. These matters have been urged upon the Government time after time, but without success, and when to this is added the repeated delays in the establishment of an experimental dairy station and the unsatisfactory condition of dairy inspection, it is scarcely to be wondered at if those interested in the dairy industry are beginning to despair of having their wrongs redressed. The discussion on the ocean freight contract raised by Mr Bolt, of the Taieri and Peninsula Company, was useful in that it cleared the air of a certain amount of misunderstanding. There were some who, whilst they firmly believed that the committee of the Association had concluded a satisfactory arrangement, yet could not understand why the actual signing of the contract was not left over until after the annual meeting in order

that the delegates frcm the several factories might have opportunity to express an opinion. But although the president hinted at the possibility of a vote of censure, the practically unanimous fashion in which the meeting approved of the committee's sction negative!! any idea of the kind. This unanimity was largely clue to tlie forcible and lucid manner in which Mr Harkness explained the position and narrated the peculiar conditions under which the negotiations were carried on. He conclusively showed that to have made the matter public at an earlier stage would have been to break faith with the shipping companies, and would probably have made it impossible to secure the substantial concession on the two years which the old contract had still to run. It is matter for congratulation that a difference of opinion which threatened complications has been so harmoniously settled, and Mr Bolt's action in ventilating the matter has had the good effect of removing what might have grown into a serious misunderstanding. The Dairy Association thus enters upon a new year of work under the happiest auspices, and will, we feel convinced, watch and guard the best interests of the dairy industry more closely than ever.