COST OF DAIRY BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1931, Page 6

COST OF DAIRY BOARD

COMPLAINTS BY FARMERS. RESERVES BEING EXPENDED. The expenses of the Dairy (Board were considered by the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at Wellington on Thursday afternoon, when a remit was read from the North Taranaki branch. The branch expressed the view that the Control Board was too expensive, and suggested that it be recommended that the number of members be i educed to five and that the levy be halved. Mr. H. E. Blyde said that in the present time of stress some sacrifice should be made by the board. The work done iby the board could be carried out quite well by five members. “Had there been no board, what would be the freight on dairy produce to-day?” asked a member. The board had done a great deal of good in arranging freight and insurance. It might be dangerous to bring the Dairy Control Act before the House, for they might lose the board altogether. Captain H. M. Rushworth, M.P., said it was impossible to alter the personnel of the board without altering the Act. It was questionable whether they ought to ask for a change in the constitution of the board at the present time. The remit was defeated.

A letter was received from the Control Board in reply to a suggestion made some time ago by the Dominion executive, that the board suspend its levy on butter and cheese for this year. The board said it felt sure that had the union been closely in touch with the position the request would not have been made.

Reference to the board's balance-sheet would indicate that, including the money spent on advertising and dairy research, the expenditure at present was about £B9OO in excess of ordinary revenue. This excess expenditure was being paid out of reserves, which were becoming a very much smaller quantity, in fact so small that they would not pay the expenses of the board for one year.