CORRESPONDENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1930, Page 12

CORRESPONDENCE

DAIRY CONTROL BOARD ECONOMY

(To (lie Editor.)

Sir, —You have in to-day's News the telegraphed information that the members and staff of the Dairy Control Board have reduced honoraria and salaries. What martyrs! Every member of this board receives about 75 per cent, to' much already. And now let us ex- 1 amine their public spiritedness and how they have met a crisis. In the first place produce has fallen 30 .to 40 per cent v therefore if- a reduction compatible with prices is made it should have been in the vicinity of 40 per cent, at least, because overhead expenses arc the same and any fall in prices means alesser return to the farmer than is even apparent at first glance because, these reductions are what actually came to him after meeting charges which at the now reduced level ate the same. Now, take the secretary’s salary, £lOOO. (I believe it is £1250 or more). Docs anyone say that in such a time as this a man could not live on £5OO per annum? This talk of big salaries and big benefits is all moonshine. Some of our greatest benefactors have received no remuneration at all. Further, how many farmers after paying overhead costs have a living surplus of £500? I doubt if this year they will get 500 pence, yet these so-called leaders talk of setting an example —12£ per cent. If these are the leaders' and this is idea of an equitable readjustment then the sooner the whole issue is thrown on to the scrap heap the better for the industry. A body which deliberately refuses to recognise the appalling fall in returns, but to save its face makes a quarter of the necessary reduction, is bleeding an already impoverished section of the community. Now, take the chairman’s statement, about £15,000 and advertising. If results are any guide or criterion, then the sooner this is dropped the better. Much of this so-called “boosting” is a fallacy. In my humble opinion if we make the right quality cheese and then by reciprocal trade give the prospective consumer the means to purchase it. it will advertise itself. Perhaps, further,if the quality of our produce has been .such as we are told (and I believe 90, per cent, is true) it would have been better not- to have “pushed” it at all bu 1 ' -let gradual expansion compatible with quality and demand do its own work. These so-called scientific research votes could also be curtailed. All these researches have done so far is to cause us to- make a cheese inferior to what was manufactured before, they came into being.- Anyhow, if examined out we would find the votes on a lavish scale. Now, as regards the levy. What has landed the farmer into piany unprofitable subsidiary companies is the cry, “it is only the l-30th of a penny but-ter-fat levy.” Well, all these 15s 7d s mount up. In my case bn last year’s returns it means about £6, and if anyone told me that the returns which I have received since ’ the Control Board has come into being justifies me paying it £6 a year, well I would not believe them, because we did better without it. Regarding the chairman’s travelling expenses, in justice to Mr. Torns 1 believe he would keep these as low as but what anyone has to go and spend £250 in entertainment for is beyond me. (Pardon my simple tastes). What has built up the great industries of the w-orld? First, manufacturing a commodity which ..the public require, and secondly, making it available to them at a reasonable price, and as far as I can see no free dinners come into i the picture. However, the final limit of

altruism I have not touched upon. Oh, these martyrs, benefactors! Produce has steadily fallen during the last six months, yet these men only make this prospective reduction operative from February 1 next, thereby possibly hoping that a possible rise may justify rescinding the resolution. I only hope and trusl that this rise may come. Meanwhile if this is the spirit and extent to which they as a board meet a crisis then they are unworthy as producers’ representatives and as such personally I denounce them. —I am, etc., " J. S. TOSLAND. Pihama, December 4, 1930.