PROGRESS IN NORTH

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 674, 28 May 1929, Page 16

PROGRESS IN NORTH

DAIRY CONFERENCE OPENS BRIGHT PROSPECTS In addressing the 16th North Auckland Dairy Conference, which opened at the Chamber of Commerce this morning, the president, Mr. W. Grounds, recorded a year of substantial progress in the dairy industry in the North, and looked forward to even greater advances in the future. The conference is attended by about 50 delegates, representing about 20 Northern dairy companies. Mr. Grounds said that the possibilities of the North Auckland district were at the present time immeasurable. In the future the district would be one of the best producers of dairy produce in New Zealand. Greater production had been stimulated by fertilisers, and the use of lands now which were lying vacant a few years ago showed the great advance the district had made. The season had been a particularly satisfactory one, as along with the increase in production they had had phenomenally good prices. He warned dairy people not to allow the good position to lull them into a false sense of security, and reminded them that a combination of unforseen circumstances had made the good season possible. DANISH COMPETITION Referring to competition on the Home market, Mr. Grounds said that New Zealand was producing an article which differed greatly from the Danish article, in that it was not made for immediate consumption, as the Continental butter was. He had heard in London that New Zealand butter never let the country down, whereas Danish butter depreciated considerably when put into cold storage. A definite appeal for Danish butter had been developed in some districts, and in others New Zealand butter was uniformly used. “I know that substantial improvements can be made, but I think that those who say that New Zealand butter has deteriorated are wide of the mark,” Mr. Grounds said. There had been a rise for quantity, instead of quality, in some district of New Zealand some time ago, but the country should now concentrate on quality. On the question of marketing nothing had developed during the year. The organisation of marketing was the most essential thing in connection with the industry. He had been trying to find an alternative to the control system, as it was vitally essential that an effort should be made to assist the producers in their efforts. Some consolidating efforts were necessary to keep the producers from walking over the precipice in their present false sense of security. He hoped that a satisfactory foun- ! dation of a national organisation would j soon be found to assist this essential part of the industry. Summing up the past year’s record, j Mr. Grounds said that there was room for satisfaction at the substantial advance that had been made, and he was confident that the dairy industry in the future would play a bigger part in the life of the country than in the past.