THE FARMERS’ COLUMN

Patea Mail, Volume XLVI, 22 August 1923, Page 2

THE FARMERS’ COLUMN

DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL STATEMENT Hi" CHAIRMAN OF DAIRY COUNCIL “AGAINST VESTED INTERESTS’ 1 Mr W. Grounds, chairman of the Dairy Council, sends tho following message from Hokianga:— “Mercantile houses interested in the continuance of the lack of system which has characterised the shipping and •marketing of dairy produce are making, through the Chambers of Commerce, an effort to influence Parliament against the Dairy Export Control Bill. ] The great national losses sustained ■our present system count for nothilg with them. They are coneornedxißfmiQ with their own private gains. “Taking each shipment of butter during the last season, and estimating on the basis of the difference in price between New Zealand and Danish on date of arrival we lost over £790,000. There was no reason for this, beyond irregular shipments and lack of organisation in connection with marketing. The same causes led us to lose over £500,000 in cheese. Shipping rates upon dairy produce are at present from 100 to 130 per cent above pre-war rates. We think that 50 per cent above pre-war should be an adequate presentday rate. This would mean a saving of over £400,000 per annum. These three items alone amount to nearly one and three-quarter millions. How different the moratorium, soldier settlers and other vexed questions would appear if this amount had been distributed. A sound organisation can secure further advantages from advertising and tho development of new markets. Ten years ago the Southern Hemisphere supplied 24,pet cent of Britain’s imported dairy produce. Last year the proportion from south of the Line was 54 per cent. With our rapidly increasing population the difficulties will be intensified without some central organisation to intelligently direct the flow of produce to the markets. 1 ‘ The fight is clearly one between the best interests of the country and those of vested interests anxious to maintain the present lack of system. ‘ 1 The country will not tolerate the continued ascendancy of vested interests where the lievlihood of the people is so deeply concerned.’ 1 FARMING NOTES At the annual meeting of the Riverdale Dairy Company the chairman stated that it was hoped to pay out 1/9 or a little more for the past season. The London office of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board has been advised by the War Office that it is hoped to issue tenders for the supply of frozen meat, Mediterranean contract, December 1, 1923, to May 31, 1924, during the month of September. It is impossible at this stage to give details as to estimated requirements, but full particulars will be included in the tender form when issued. The information is circulated in order that firms interested should have early information as to the intentions of the War Office. Mr J. W. Deem told members of the Stratford Demonstration Farm Society on Saturday that at Moumahaki they had recently fed out ensilage which had been stored for two years, the loss being very small. There had been a good crop one year, which could not all be used, and it had been carried forward. Mr Deem expressed the opinion that good ensilage could profitably be kept for four or five years.