SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3613, 12 June 1923, Page 10

SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING, The annual meeting of ihe South Island Dairy Association was held in the Overseas Club Rooms on Wednesday morning. The president. Mr H. J. Middleton) occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance of members. NEW PREMISES. An extraordinary general meeting was held prior to the annual meeting for the purpose of considering a proposal to secure a lease of the Union Company’s building in Water street for utilisation as, offices and storage accommodation. The chairman briefly explained the circumstances which had led up to the proposal made by the directors. The proposed building was suitable in every way, and all that was wanted to complete the transaction was the authority of the meeting. He mentioned that tiie difference between what they were paying to-day and what they would pay if the proposal was carried would bo about £2OO per annum, exclusive of any rent they might receive by subletting portion of the new building. The motion was carried unanimously, and the chairman expressed the thanks of the directors for such a gratifying vote of confidence in them. ADOPTION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT.

Trie chairman moved the adoption of the annual report (already published). He said that looking heck over the old conferences, he did not think they had ever been called on to tackle so many difficult problems as were to come beforo them that day. There had been an almost phenomenal development in their industry over the past 12 months. There had been an increase in their exports of 454,6010 wt of butter, but there had been a slight falling off in cheese—-about 67,000 cwt.

The increase was a little over 20 per cent, over the previous year’s exports, when there had been an enormous increase in exports over the year beforo or any previous year. They were beginning to realise that the dairy industry was of great importance to the Dominion, as their Government had constantly told them during the past few years. The Government had told them, in fact, that the dairy industry had saved the country. During the years he (had been connected with the dairying business, and particularly during the past few years, there had been abundant evidence of unrest amongst dairymen. All sorts of schemes had been in the air for improving the condition of their industry. There were, of course, advocates on both sides of every proposal, and each side tried to convince them that Codlin was their friend and not Stout. They would therefore see the difficulties which faced their executive in coming to any conclusion. Of the various schemes which had come before them, the first one to take shape was the Marketing Association. That Association was still in existence, although some of them would perhaps be glad to know that it was not. It was, in fact, quits a lusty infant, and had this year dealt with one-tenth of the dairy produce from New Zealand. This was not a bad record, seeing tho short time that the Association had been in existence. Then the next scheme was the pool. It had had rather an unhappy career, and was really stillborn. The next suggestion was the monthly auctions. That proposal never got any length at all. Now they had before them the Control Bill. This proposal was before the country last year very persistently, and it would he thrashed out at their present meeting. He hoped that the air would bo o!eared, and that thev would know a lot more about the proposal beforo the meeting terminated.—(“Hear, hear.”) In this connection, he would like to point out one very imporfant matter, that he thought was nearly always overlooked, and that there was room for tremendous development at their own end of the job. He was of opinion that they should go in for better dairy herds, for the better testing of their cows, they should eliminate the scrub bull, and take steps to eliminate contagious diseases as far as possible. That would be more valuable to the industry than any conceivable system of marketing. He was satisfied that hundreds of thousands of pounds were lost through contagious diseases. These diseases were certainly a. menace to the prosperity of the industry. He proposed to bring forward a remit later asking for legislation to deal with the matter, although he hated asking for legislative assistance if they could do without it. The speaker said that men who bad been a few years in the industry should not be buying dairy stock —they should be breeding their own. If bulls had to he seoured they should be bought young, before they had run any risk of coming into contact with animals which were suffering from contagious disease. They should also cull ruthlessly and spey those animals which were suffering from disease instead of selling them to other dairy farmers and thus perpetuating the evil. ' If those engaged in tho industry took these steps he thought they would eliminate/ for some lime contagious _ mammitis, contagious abortion, and sterility, and these diseases could be controlled to a large extent if they were tackled in a workmanlike way. The speaker referred to those farmers who were starting in the industry at the present high land values, and asked what chance had they under the present svstem of buying good dairy stock. Only the culls and' the diseased animals came on the market, excopt where a man was retiring from the business altogether. The problem was an exceedingly difficult one. Farmers could not work their forma at a profit by hand-

ling culled stock. Three years ago he had referred to tiro inflated Land values, and his opinions held good that day. He was of opinion that _ the Government was now assisting in inflating values through the Government Valuation Department. It was putting up values beyond reason, but it did not have confidence in its own values, as it would only advance up to 50 per cent, on these values. The speaker in conclusion eulogised the work of the staff, from the chief executive officer (Mr G. Adams) downwards. They all worked well and honestly in the interests of the Association. Their Association was now a prettv big business, and they had only a small staff. It was worthy of the best thanks of the Association for the work it had done.— (Applause.) Mr Buckingham seconded the motion, which was carried without discussion. PLACE OF ANNUAL MEETING. The following motion by Mr Bowman (Waitaki Dairy Co.) was lost bv a largo majority:—“That article 22 of the articles of Association he amended to read as follows: ‘Subsequent general meetings of the Association shall be hedd in Dunedin in the month of May or Juno in eaoh year, at such time as the directors may from time to time determine.’ ” LEVY ON FACTORIES. The first remit to be considered was in the name of tho executive: —“That this meeting approves of the proposal to raise a sum of money by means of a levy on tho factories of one shilling a ton on cheese and two shillings a ton on butter, based on the export output for year 1922-1923, for the purpose of advertising the dairy produce of the Dominion at tho British Empire Exhibition in 1924.” The chairman said that he thought the proposal was a move in the right, direction. When he had been in England three years previously he had noticed that New Zealand was not known- at least not as New Zealand. If their batter and cheese were well advertised at the English Exhibition it would be brought under the notice of millions. A lot of people in Britain did not know they were eating New Zealand butter and cheese. Same means should also be devised to let tile people in England know where they could purchase tho Dominion’s produce. The sum asked meant only a trifle to tho factory. Mr Mould seconded the motion. He thought that the remit was in the right direction.

Mr Meredith pointed out that if through the advertising their prices were advanced in Britain, they would also lie advanced here, and the factories retailing on the local markets would gain the benefit. They would notice that the levy was to o made on the exports only. The Chairman said that die sum of £IO,OOO which it was expected the levy would yield had been tho estimate of the Dairy Division.

Mr J. H. Buckingham suggested the advisability of giving tho London merchants a discount of, say, 1 per cent, with the proviso that they should use the money in advertising right through the country. Ho was not sure that they- would secure tho best results by advertising in the Empire Exhibition. There was a question also whether the remit would be necessary if the Control Bill came into force.

Mr Reid (Ashburton Dairy Co.) contended that the levy should be made on tho output, not on tho export. He approved of the principle, however. He would movo as an amendment that the levy be on the output. Mr Brash said that he was on the Dominion Exhibition Committee. This committee was an advisory body. The Industries and Commerce Department would control tho whole of the dominion exhibits, including the dairy exhibits. It had been suggested that a site should be secured in London where they could make butter and cheese, but that project had been dropped, as they would not lie able to secure the raw material. Another suggestion was that small quantities of butter and cheese should be given away at the Exhibition, hut a difficulty had arisen in regard to this proposal. Ho thought that the remit was in the right direction. As regards the levy on the output, he was of opinion that they might leave that out, as it would be very difficult to collect it. The chairman said that he was of opinion that the remit, if carried, would be observed faithfully by the factories, although they could not compel them to pay tlje levy. No matter what they did here, if the North Island factories did not support the proposal, that would be the end of it. After further discussion, Mr Reid asked permission to withdraw- his amendment. This was agreed to, and the motion was then carried bv a very large majority. OFFICE-BEARERS. The following were nominated for the two positions on the executive caused through the retirement of Mesrs T. A. Buckingham (Drummond) and Richard Arnott (Wyndnain), neither of whom sought re-election:—John Fisher (Otautau), William Hamilton (Awarua), Thomas R. Fades (Edendale), John Bmith (Oware), and Thomas Timpany (Woodlands). The Chairman explained that through an unfortunate circumstance Mr Timpany was not eligible for election, and that any votes recorded for him would reader the papers invalid.

The ballot resulted in tho return of Messrs Smith (94 votes) and Hamilton (/3 votes). Mr Fisher received 62 voles an dMr Fades 44 votes SMOKE CONCERT. There was a large attendance at a smoke concert which was held in tho Early Settlers’ Hall in the evening. The chair was occupied by Mr Middleton, and amongst those present w-ere tho lion. \V. Nosworthy (Minister of Agriculture), Mr Corrigan, M.P. for Patea, and the Hon. C. EStatham. A number of toasts were proposed and duly honoured.