The Daily News THURSDAY, MAY, 3, 1934. PLANNED PRODUCTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 May 1934, Page 4

The Daily News

THURSDAY, MAY, 3, 1934. PLANNED PRODUCTION.

OFFICES: NEW PLYMOUTH, Carrie Street. STRATFORD, Broadway. HAWERA. High Street.

Though necessarily reticent about the policy of the Government pending the findings of the Dairy Commission, the statements made by the Minister of Finance, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, at Papakura on Monday are worth the very cr.reful consideration of primary .producers throughout the Dominion. In one respect Mr. Coates was definite enough, and, as he showed, with good reason. The Government, he stated, is quite convinced that any plans for improving the outlook for exporters of primary products must have for their foundation close and willing co-operation with the Ministry, the producers, and the consumers in Great Britain. . It is a policy the wisdom of which has been urged for years by many real friends of the dairy industry. They have not always been given credit for singlemindedness; they have, in fact, been accused of being willing to sacrifice the interests of the farmer in the Dominion to those of the merchants or the producers of Great Britain. But, as Mr. Coates said, there is little to gain now by spending time in allocating the blame for the present position. So far as the dairy industry is concerned faults can no doubt be distributed from the farm to the retailer in Great Britain. That these failings have been aggravated by certain actions of the Dairy Control Board and by the general opportunism of its administration is now admitted. Beyond all internal failings, however, the industry has now to face what Mr. Coates called “planned production” in every country seeking an entry into the markets of Great Britain, or of retaining its hold upon the portion of the market it has already secured. How best the industry can accommodate itself to these new conditions is the question it must set itself to answer, and it is evidence on this point that will aid the Royal Commission more than evidence in regard to errors or differences of opinion in the past. For this reason such meetings as the one to be held at Rahotu are to be welcomed. By obtaining information from the North Taranaki representative on the Dairy Control Board the suppliers to several important factories will learn how the present crisis developed, and the means the leaders of the industry propose to suggest in order that the crisis may be overcome. Similar meetings in every dairying district in the Dominion should be thoroughly justified. For the new conditions are to affect everyone interested in dairy produce, and the more explanation there is afforded the rank and file in the industry the more effective is likely to be their cooperation in whatever policy is decided upon. Mr. Coates was perfectly correct in saying that what the industry has lacked is wide leadership. His forecast that the Government intended to place responsibility where it could and would be accepted was an intimation that changes in the control of the dairy industry are certain to be made. The decision to do so has come not a moment too soon, and the whole Dominion will join in the hope that the Government will be given wisdom in the selection of the leadership of so important an industry. It was satisfactory to note that the Government intends to seek out fresh markets for New Zealand dairy produce, and the 'hint thrown out by Mr. Coates that the whole of the Dominion, might be asked to share the costs of the search seems to indicate that the Ministry is prepared to deal fairly generously with the industry in this regard. But it is quite evident that producers must get behind the Government’s efforts to find new markets or to develop those already existing. The references made by Ministers to the haphazard efforts made to supply markets in Europe and America which had been opened by new trade treaties show the lack of coherent, persistent efforts in the past. There must be no room for any further lackadaisical attitude in regard to the disposal of New Zealand produce. Nor must there be any delay in arriving at a new policy. Mr. Goodfellow, whose long connection with the dairy industry gives weight to his opinion, has urged the industry to “wait and see.” That policy has been far too much in evidence—with the deplorable results that are only too well known in Taranaki. High quality first, a complete understanding with Great Britain as the foundation of the export trade, and well directed, continuous efforts to increase

sales in new and old markets are the principles Mr. Coates indicated were guiding the Government in the meantime. Those principles are almost certain to be interwoven with the recommendations of the Royal Commission, though it may be able to give more detailed suggestion as to their application.