BUTTER BUNGLE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 19 March 1927, Page 9

BUTTER BUNGLE.

“TIME FOR PLAIN SPEAKING.”-

RESIGNATIONS DEMAND ED,

By Telegraph—Press Association.

HAMILTON, March IS. bitty directors representing 19 difier- £ nt , , - Uidr .y Companies operating in ooutii Auckland, met by special invitation at Hamilton to-day to consider the position of the dairy industry, and the operations of the Control Board. The conference represented 9900 tons of butter and 4700 tons of cheese. The New Zealand Co-operative Hairy Company was mot on the invitation Jist although it represented 8000 suppliers and dUIKJ tons of) dairy produce The convener (-All- Ai J. Sinclair) said the attempts ot tiiose responsible foii the present daury debacle to put ihq blame on other shoulders was arousin'" the anger of dairy farmers’ and the directors felt it time for plain-speaking. He, . said it was. despicable to blame the Government for the present deplorable jiosition. The obstinacy few extremists on the Control Board had brought disaster on| the industry, in trying to carry out an impossible theory of compulsory marketing. The following resolutions were passed by the meeting:— That this conference believes the first essential in marketing of New Zealand dairy produce is the maintenance of confidence and goodwill in the chief maiket, and that the extreme policy followed by the Hairy Produce Control Board is directly responsible for the loss of goodwill and heavy financial loss new facing the industry. That as the chairman of the Control Board and the London manager axe now called upon to carry out a policy to which they are personally opposed, they should be asked to tender tlieir resignations.

That this conference reaffirms the protests previously made against the enforcement of the compulsory provisions of the Hairy Produce Control Act, and denies the right of any body of men to, take possession of our property by force in order to embark upon a hazardous venture, which has i.o precedent in any part of the world. That a demand be made upon the Dairy Produce Board to "drain from exercising the compulsory clauses of tlie Act until next session, i lie New Zealand 'Board in the meantime to supervise the marketing of our produce on the lines of the Australian Board.

That a Dominion conforenco of Hairy Companies be convened immediately at Palmerston North to decide upon further action, to give effect to the above resolutions.

Mr Sinclair said the Palmerston conference would bo called for the _9tli. inst., two days before the next meeting of the Board. The following mol ion by Mr (>. P. Dowden (To Arolia) was also carried:— “That this conference deprecates the attitude of the Auckland Farmers’ Union, a minority body, in supporting the* mistaken policy of the Dairy Control Board, whose compulsoiy interference. in connection with the marketing of dairy produce lias precipitated the present grave crisis and seriously jeopardised the welfare • of the Dominion.”