BOBBY CALF TRADE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 75, Issue 6443, 7 November 1947, Page 4

BOBBY CALF TRADE

EXPANSION IN THE WAIKATO REVIEW OF SEASON BY CHAIRMAN OF TE AWAMUTU POOL An outline of the bobby calf season to date was given by Mr B. C. O’Connor, chairman of the Te Awamutu Bobby Calf Pool, when he addressed a meeting in Ohaupo on Monday night. The Te Awamutu pool, said Mr O’Connor, would show an increase in excess of 2000 and the federation an increase of 14,000. The indications were that the pay-out would exceed the previous year by over 60 per cent, due almost entirely to the satisfactory sales of skins in the dollar areas.

The full value of the enhanced prices overseas was lost to the farmer through the action of the Government in placing an embargo on 28 per cent of the skins, or approximately 283,000 skins. All these skins went to the tanners at a dead loss to the farmer of approximately £1 each.

This enforced subsidy came in for much criticism from the meeting and it was pointed out that it coincided with the untimely cancellation of various subsidies. A resolution of protest was carried on the motion of Messrs J. Turney and F. A. Hounsell. It was stated that want of vision and poor leadership had been shown in this matter, particularly in regard to the manure subsidies.

In reference to the appeal being made in the Waikato for farmers’ funds, the speakers recommended that this be supported, notwithstanding the fact that a reserve of £30,000 had been built up in the Farmers’ Union over a period of 40 years on a subscription of 30s. The composition of the Dairy Products Marketing Commission and the panel of six names submitted by the industry were referred to by Mr O’Connor in answer to a question. Mr O’Connor said that the Prime Minister had told him in the lobby of the House before other members of Federated Farmers that he had never at any time asked for a panel of six names.

The Prime Minister had added that he merely wanted three names from the industry nominated by the industry itself and that' he would nominate three on behalf of the Government, the commission to have an independent chairman.

In his opinion, said Mr O'Connor, it seemed that the idea of a panel of six names being nominated by the industry meant that the comparatively few men who had the deciding voice on its behalf might not choose the men with the greatest ability.