AMALGAMATION OF MEAT AND DAIRY BOARDS SUGGESTED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18772, 30 May 1929, Page 3

AMALGAMATION OF MEAT AND DAIRY BOARDS SUGGESTED.

FARMERS’ CONFERENCE REJECTS PROPOSAL.

I J or Px-ess Association. MASTERTON, May 29. The provincial conference of the Farmers’ Union to-day heard aii address by the chairman .of the Dairy Control Board. Mr W. A. lorns, who stated that it often was said that the Dairy Board cost the factories a lot and they were getting nothing out of it. lie noticed in the report of a meeting of a North Auckland factory with an output of 3000 tons, a statement that its levy to the Dairy Board was £6OO per annum. That might be so, but it was putting £SOOO back in reduced costing. For every pound paid in to the Dairy Board there was a return of 850 to 900 per cent in reduction of costing. He cited figures showing savings made by factories. The board was fully alive to the importance of the marketing end of the business, and he was confident that it was working on the right lines. * Later in the afternoon the confer ence discussed a remit from the Martinborough branch, “ That the conference supports the Dominion president in the matter of the amalgamation of the Meat and Dairy Boards.” After debate the proposal was rejected by 22 votes to 19.

The occasion gained additional interest from the presence of the Dominion president of the Farmers’ Union, Mr W J. Poison, who strongly favours amal gamation of the two boards, and took part in the debate. Mr Poison suggest ed that the meat and dairy industries should each appoint four members of the board, and that these representa tives should agree upon a chairman to be appointed by the Government. It was absurd to suggest that the primary industry could not be run as one Under unified control there would be a substantial saving, and any danger of future clash between the two boards averted. He was convinced that amalgamation was the right plan and that sooner or later it would be adopted. Already a great many farmers approved of making the two boards one. Mr lorns said that the Meat and Dairy Boards worked together and had benefited by co-operation, but a combined board was impracticable. He did not see how there would be any saving under amalgamation. On being put to the vote the remit was rejected. -