DAIRY PRODUCE

Southland Times, Issue 19435, 26 December 1924, Page 5

DAIRY PRODUCE

CONTROL OF EXPORT AN AUSTRALIAN PROPOSAL AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW. Cabled news from Australia that the dairy producers of that country have decided in favour of a Control Board somewhat on the lines of the Dairy Produce Export Control Board of New Zealand has been received with considerable interest throughout the country. In the course of an interview, Mr J. Fisher, a member of the Control Board, said that he had been pleased to receive cabled advice from Mr Mearas, managing director of the Coastal Fanners’ Co-op. Society, Sydney, stating that the poll was now practically complete, and that a large majority had been recorded in favour of the Act. DIFFERENCE IN MEASURES. “While the Australian Act,” said Mr Fisher, “has been modelled upon the New Zealand measure, it differs in some important particulars, and these differences occasioned some controversy among certain sections of the dairy producers, who wanted the whole of the New Zealand Act or none. Others felt that once the Act was upon the Statute Book any amendments desired could be made, whereas if the measure were rejected altogether, the ground thus lost would possibly never be regained. These counsels have apparently prevailed with the producers, because a majority of apparently three or four to one has been recorded in favour of the measure. This success, backed by the recent decision of the fruit growers and honey producers of the country to adopt measures of control in order to regulate the affairs of their industry, gives point to the manner in which farmers the world over are now endeavouring to unite their scattered strength so as to work together to solve common problems. CO-OPERATIVE SENTIMENT. “I have been very much impressed recently by the wave of co-operative sentiment which has swept over the farmers of practically every country of the world. This movement has been accentuated apparently by the various disastrous slumps which have affected all primary industries at various periods throughout the years following on the war. For long enough an isolated example of successful co-operation was given by Denmark, where her outstanding success was contributed to by the smallness and compactness of her country and the high average intelligence of her people. More recently the fruit industry of California has been rescued from disaster and put on a remarkably successful paying basis by co-operation applied to the problem of packing and marketing the collective produce. The American Wheat Growers and Tobacco Growers also united in post-war years to create big organisations to collectively market their produce. In some cases these include up to 250,000 members. In Canada, Australia and New Zealand Legislative sanction and approval has been given to various efforts on the part of the producers to combine to improve their lot, it being recognised that the prosperity of the nation in each case rested on the success of the individual primary producer. In Western Canada recently some remarkable effects were achieved-when a wave of co-operative sentiment swept across the country. As a result of this wave, the biggest organisation of its kind in the world has come into being, over 50,000 farmers having bound themselves for five years to contribute the whole of their produce under penalty to the common pool. IMPORTANCE OF LOYALTY. “The success of all these movements lire in the capacity brought to bear upon their management and the degree of loyalty that dominates the individual members. The outstanding principle is that big problems require big measures, and that in the marketing of their produce farmers must unite. New Zealand is now equipped for the collective management of problems affecting meat, dairy produce, fruit and honey, and doubtless some very instructive experiences will be encountered as these respective Boards resolutely tackle the problems of their industries in the effort to improve the conditions of their members and increase the national prosperity. In these efforts the whole community is interested because New Zealand realises that 95 per cent of her income depends upon primary products, and any small extra fraction or extra economy effected in connection with the marketing of our primary products means a considerable increase in the national revenue. For instance, one penny per pound in the price of butter means £600,000 in New Zealand’s national pocket. Any extra prosperity brought to the producer is therefore immediately reflected in the business lift of the community, which means' that both farm and business communities are intimately concerned in the success of the efforts being made by the producers to increase the efficiency attending the marketing of their goods.”