SOUTHLAND CALF POOL

Southland Times, Issue 23538, 18 June 1938, Page 19

SOUTHLAND CALF POOL

Pay-Out For Season Not Finalized INCREASE IN NUMBERS SUPPLIED In presenting the report of the South" land Bobby Calf Pool to the South Island Dairy Association conference at Dunedin last week, the chairman of the committee (Mr G. R. Herron, of Balfour) announced that it had not been possible to wind up the season as 9000 skins remained to be sold. A total of £lB9B 10/- had been paid out in Southland. The increase in calves this year had been 1727, and it was gratifying that the rejects this year were only 726, or 2 per cent., compared with 1256, or 3.2 per cent., last year. Speaking of the control of the industry by the Dairy Produce Board, Mr Herron said that the vote of producers taken had not been unanimous. Personally he thought the board should have control, but Southlanders were too well satisfied with the present system to want the board to take over control. Mi; John Fisher (Otautau) said the referendum was a complete fiasco. It was absurd to refer the petty cash of the industry to the franchise of producers. In any case, even now the Minister did not know where they stood in the matter. The referendum was a great mistake, but the principle of board control was right. The only danger was that the Southland pool was in danger of being smothered, as others had been. Mr W. H. Staniland (Ashburton) said there was a danger of outside interests coming in and upsetting small pools if they had no protection from the board. Mr John Dunlop (South Island member of the Dairy Board) said the board had never gone looking for control of the calf industry. It was asked to move in the matter. One single pool had never been contemplated, but, even if it had, Southland would not have suffered, as its pay-out was no more than the New Zealand average. Costs in Southland which amounted to 6.39 d. were higher than in the North Island. Wairarapa’s general costs were as low as 3.33 d. Mr D. Rutledge (Invercargill) said it was a case of either the Dairy Board or the Marketing Department taking control. That was what farmers had to decide. The Minister had not presented that alternative, but that was what he meant. The issue was control by the industry or by the Government. Mr T. C. Brash (secretary of the Dairy Board) said the Minister was quite incorrect when he offered producers a referendum. There was no ulterior motive, but he did not know the industry very well. A vote of directors would have been better, but the Labour policy was that the individual was of most importance. There had never been any question of interference with successful pools. The idea was to protect and help the pools. The Government had promised protection if 80 per cent, of suppliers voted in favour of it, but the problem was to get everyone to vote on such a matter. The report was adopted. The Calves Committee was reappointed as follow:—Messrs G, R. Herr ron, D. Caldwell, C. R. Foster, W. Hamilton, W. Muir and W. Young.