DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3613, 12 June 1923, Page 17

DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL.

DISCUSSED BY THE SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION. THE PROPOSAL APPROVED At the meeting of the South Island Dairy Association held on Wednesday the question Whether the association should approve of the proposed Dairy Produce Control Bil! w-as discussed at length. Mr W. Grounds, chairman of the Dairy Council, addressed the meeting. (The council is composed of 10 members from the Souih Island and a 0 from the North Island, and was elected by the New Zealand producers to secure nec-s----sary legislation to enable the Bill to ce piaced on the Statute Book, provided, of course, that the dairy farmers supported the proposal.) MrGrounds said he had felt all along that if he was able to put forward a case tnat would meet with their approval ne would get their support. Twenty years ago lie went into the backbloeks to carve out a home, and he had accomplished nis object. He went on to explain the provisions of the Bill. It would be necessary t/> nave in London some responsible men whose integrity was unassailable and whose Knowledge from t-ue London end was complete. It was provided in the Bill that dairy produce should be exported as provided by the board, and that none should be exported except under license from the board. The Bill also provided for the safeguarding cf all bona fide contracts entered into beiore the passing of the Bill : and another provision was that the board should be responsible for the contracts for sea carriage. The aim of the latter clause was to make it clear that the Dairy Board and (he Meat Board should act in conjunction in the matter of arranging the necessary sea contracts for the carriage of produce. Provision was made for a levy on exported produce in order to meet expenses. A levy not exceeding £d on butter and l-16d on cheese was to Ire collected by the hoard to enable it to carry out it duties under the Act. That levy would be paid into the Consolidated Fund through the Collector of Custom's so as to safeguard the producers, who, he thought, oould rest assured that their interests were being protected. The Bill farther provided that the produce should be used as security for getting the necessary advances that the people were looking for each month. The last proposal

in the Biii was that provision could be made for sufficient reserves to carry on the proposed b. siness. It was very necessary to make better arrangements ill order to get the best price for our commodities. It wa3 quite impossible for an isolated factory to do anything in these matters. Dealing with the question of finance, Mr Grounds stated that a proposition to finance on letters of credit through the Tooley street houses had been turned down. It was recognised that there were elements of weakness in such a system, and consequently, when the Control Board proposition was being broached, they tried to discover a more satisfactory method. They had discovered that there would be no difficulties in conducting their financing through the associated banks, and the idea of the control committee was that they should finance through those banks unless experience unfolded some better method. Some of the critics considered that the board would not be in as sound a position to make the necessary financial arrangements as the individual factories were under the present system. What could an individual factory offer that the board could not offer? Was not the basis of finance realisation of satisfactory prices for their produce? He had no antipathy to the London houses, but it should be remembered that they were Business houses and not philanthropists. It bad been urged that under the proposals the big companies would control the position, but lie was satisfied that the scheme in view was the only way whereby the small factories would get the same results as the big factories. If the dairy people recognised what could, and should, be done they would go steadily forward to the realisation of the scheme at some future date, when everyone would come to the conclusion that it should have been adopted years ago.—(Applause.) The Chairman said that Mr Grounds had placed his views clearly before the meeting. The matter was now' open for discussion. After discussing the Bill as a whole at some length, it was resolved to approve of the princijjle of the Bill.

WHEAT CHOPS

REDUCTIONS IN AREAS SOWN. ASHBURTON, June 4

Inquiries by a reporter confirm the recent rumour of a sensational reduction in wheat sowings. One farmer said that the wheat area in his district would be reduced by a quarter bolow last year’s figures. A second said it would be reduced bv 60 per cent. A third gave the reduction as 15 per cent. The reporter concludes that the decrease generally will average a third. Several causes are operating for this, including better prospects for wool and lamb, the delayed ploughings owing to the flood, and also the desire of many farmers to rest the land impoverished by successive wheat cropping. In consequence of the delayed ploughing a considerably larger area than usual will be spring sown. One farmer says that a half or smaller crop is therefore likely. Farmers are keenly discussing the • chance of a reasonable State-guaranteed price.

imported stud sheep.

HARSH TREATMENT IN TRANSIT ALLEGED. BLENHEIM, June 8.

At a meeting of the Marlborough A. and P. Association to-day it was resolved to send a strong protest to the Stock Department against the treatment accorded a recent consignment of stud merino ewes imported from South Australia by Marlborough breeders. Mr E. A. Wild (a prominent breeder) placed the facts before the association, which showed that the sheep had been seriously affected through immersion in a strong harsh sheep dip on arrival at Dunedin. An individual sheep of the consignment showed traces of maggot fly, and it was contended that it should have been hand treated with a weak fluid dip. Being fully fleeced, the effect of the immersion was disastrous, and the sheep arrived in Marlborough in a deplorable condition, one dying en route and the others being totally unfit for exhibition purposes this year.'