ZONING OF CREAM SUPPLIES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 20932, 11 January 1938, Page 9

ZONING OF CREAM SUPPLIES

To the Editor dr " The Timaru Herald

Sir—Will you please allow me a little space in which to make a few remarks about the Ashburton Dairy Company. This company has had to stand up to a great deal of adverse criticism, some of it mere twaddle, and some speakers claiming that the whole jf South Canterbury is up in arms against the company. This is by no means the case, travellers among the farmers saying that the dissatisfaction is not nearly so general as the recent rumpus would have us believe, and I am writing as a satisfied supplier to let the company and the public know that some of us are loyal and broadminded enough to give them time co get things running smoothly. Even if some of the complaints were genuine, they were trivial enough, and also refuted by the Government check testers, and prejudice has been allowed to play a large part in the matter. Under weighing and testing would ultimately rebound on the company in an excessive over-run and to do this systematically, also involved giving many employees dishonest orders, which to any right thinking person, is manifestly absurd. The leadership of the movement has evidently passed from the hands of the Farmers’ Union into those of Mr Markham, who, in seeking out white elephants, need not have gone past the dairy industry in South Canterbury, which, in pre-zoning days, had both white and near white ones, which were proving most expensive to keep. The present company should be given, at least, a year’s trial, allowed to bring out their balance-sheet, and declare their bonus. Then, if these were not satisfactory, would be time enough to consider making a change. Here we have a factory actually operating and financed at no risk to its suppliers. Are we then to be thrown back to carry weighty guarantees to the bank, signing of the obnoxious “joint and several,” and have to take out shares on a b/f basis? This is the usual procedure, which would have no appeal to hundreds of farmers, especially those who were involved in the original factory on Factory Road, Temuka. No, sir, before we throw overboard a proved pilot, let us be quite sure that the new have all the qualifications for the job mid that we do not exchange the substance for the shadow. Can Mr Markham and company supply these necessary qualifications?—l am, etc., DAIRYMAN. Winchester, January 10.