DAIRY PRODUCERS

Southland Times, Issue 21429, 25 June 1931, Page 8

DAIRY PRODUCERS

CONTROL OF INDUSTRY DISSATISFACTION RIFE “UNNECESSARY OVERLAPPING” (I’er_Unite<l Press Association.) New Plymouth, June 24. The first annual meeting of the reconstructed National Dairy Association was held this morning, there being a large attendance of dairymen from all over the Dominion. Mr A. Morton was chairman and the business was taken in committee. Control of the dairy industry was the subject of the only remit passed to-day, when it was agreed to appoint a committee , to-morrow to prepare for the conference a plan for co-ordination of the present departments of control, and the appointment of an administrative head. The subject was introduced by a remit from the Mangatoki Company, which suggested among other things “That the conference expresses dissatisfaction with the present methods of administration of the dairying industry and considers the past administration has been ineffective, failing to provide a truly authoritative head representative of the industry, charged with the responsibility of directing and governing the industry in its internal as well as export, affairs.” “That effective administration of the industry involves the exercise of authority and a degree of discipline which can only be applied by a board or organization elected by the producers and set up as the head of the industry with powers to guide and control in all matters relating to internal, as well as export policy.” "That to give effect to the foregoing proposals, the Dairy- Producers’ Board in its present form, or reconstituted, should be made head of the industry with extended powers and charged with responsibility for the administration as indicated.” “That uncertainties of policy, particularly in regard to the promotion of quality, have revealed weaknesses in the present administration and have resulted in the loss of goodwill with the buyers and consumers of New Zealand dairy produce.” “That in order to further these proposals, a committee be appointed from the conference to bring down in detail an administrative plan for the industry, the report of the committee to be dealt with before the conclusion of the conference.” Discussion of this remit occupied most of the afternoon. Eventually it was withdrawn and the following substituted. The motion was adopted by 137 votes to 98: “That in view of the grave unrest in the dairy industry, dissatisfaction with the present methods of administration, the conviction that there is unnecessary and costly overlapping in such administration, heavy and avoidable loss in manufacture and an urgent need for effective steps for improvement in the quality of dairy products, this conference expresses the opinion that co-ordination of the functions of the existing controlling bodies and the appointment of an administrative head is imperative; that a representative committee be set up to prepare and submit to the conference a considered plan for co-ordination of the present departments and organizations and the appointment of an administrative head.”