THE DAIRY POOL.

Waipa Post, Volume XXI, Issue 1301, 7 October 1922, Page 5

THE DAIRY POOL.

DETAILS OF THE BILL. WIDE POWERS FOR DAIRY BOARD CONTROL OF EXPORT AND DISTRIBUTION.

The Dairy Produce Export Control Bill is modelled upou the provisions of the Meat Export Control .Bill. It proposes the establishment of a Dairy Produce Control Board, which will exercise in respect of butter arid cheese the powers that are exercised by the Meat Producers Board in regard to meat. The Board will consist of two Government nominees, appointed on the recommendation of ithe Minister of Agriculture, and nine producers' representatives, to be elected by the persons supplying milk and cream to factories manufacturing butter and cheese for export. The method of election of the producers' representatives, six from the North Island and three from the South Island, is to be prescribed by regulation. The producers' representatives on the Board are to hold office for three years, but there is special provision for the retirement of three of the original members in June, 1925. and 1926.

The Board may appoint such officers as it requires for the efficient discharge of its duties. A London agency of the Board is to be constituted. This agency will consist of such number of persons as the Board may decide, and one of the members shall be a nominee of the Government. The duty of the London agency will be to keep the Board advised as to current prices of dairy produce and as to other matters relative to the disposal of New Zealand dairy produce in Britain and elsewhere. It* will act generally as the agent of the Board. The Government may 'enable the Board to control effectively the export, sale, and distribution of New Zealand dairy produce by prohibiting the ex-

port of any dairy produce from the Dominion save in accordance with a license issued by t'he Board or a license issued by the Minister of Agriculture subject to conditions and restrictions approved by the Board. The Board may assume control over the export of dairy produce from New Zealand. The control may be absolute or limited. All dairy produce over which the Board has assumed

absolute control shall be shipped as the Board directs, and shall be sold and disposed of only by the Board or by direction of the Board. Where the Board ihas assumed limited control the extent of its control shall be defined by notice or by agreement between the Board and the owners of the produce. The Bill provides lor existing contracts up to 30th June, 1923.

After the constitution of the Board or after such later date as the Board may fix, no contract for the carriage by sea of dairy produce from New Zealand shall be made save by the Board or under conditions approved by the Board. There is a proviso that if the Meat Board decides not to make any shipping contract save by arrangement with the Dairy Board the latter Board shall not have authority to make any contract except in accordance wfith an arrangement between the two Boards.

The Board may make a levy on dairy produce exported from New Zealand whether the produce is subject to the control of the Board or not. The money will be collected by the Customs Department, and will form part of the funds of the Board. The Board is to have full authority to make such arrangements and give such directions as it thinks proper for the handling, pooling, and storage of dairy produce, for the shipment of dairy produce on such terms and in such quantities as it thinks fit, for the sale and disposal of dairy produce, for 'insurance during storage and transit, and generally for all matters that are necessary for the due discharge of its functions in handling, distributing, and disposing of New Zealand dairy produce.

'The Board may give security over dairy produce on behalf of the owners for the purpose of securing any advance that may be made to the Board or to the owners of the dairy produce. The remaining clauses of the Bill give the Board power to handle the moneys received from the sale of produce or otherwise. They provide )for the payemnt of expenses, the repayment of advances, the creation of a reserve fund, and the payment of the balance to the owners of the produce in proportions to be fixed in accordance with quantity and grade. The Government may make regulations prescribing the maximum amount of the levy and enabling the 'Board to carry out its functions.