CONTROL OF DAIRY EXPORTS

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1578, 25 November 1924, Page 5

CONTROL OF DAIRY EXPORTS

Sir.—-By an Order-in-Council issued 'last Monday evening, the export of butter and cheese from New Zealand is prohibited except in accordance with a license to be issued by the Minister of Agriculture, and so a great industry comes definitely under political control. There has been no demur and no protest. Jones in New Zealand cannot sell his butter and cheese to Robison in London, except by kind permission of the Hon W. Nosworthy. Minister of Agriculture. One might well ask what the dairying industry had done or left undone to become the olaything of the politician. The dairy industry is younger than the meat freezing industry, but it lias in recent years made more rapid strides than meat industry because it appealed to a greater number, and, if the work was more arduous, the small man was at least able to make a living at it. In the past 25 years the dairy industry has grown from practically nothing to the most important item in our export schedule. The dairying industry is worth £16.000,000 to the country, and it has been developed ur> to that point without any political control. Its development has been due largely to the Tooley Street, merchants, for it is they who have insisted upon quality, and it is the quality that has helped the industry. Prior to the war, 114 s per cwt. was a good price for New Zealand butter; to-day the price is 2065, and both prices have been paid by the Tooley Street merchants. Business people unconnected with the industry are wondering why control has been deemed necessary. The reason given for prohibiting export except under license is that the Dairy Control Board has determined that it is necessary, for the effective operation of the Act and the fulfilment of its purposes, .that the Board should exercise a limited control over the export of butter and cheese. The expression “limited control’’ is rather delicious. It is the Minister who issues' the license. Now let us advance the scene to say 1926 or 1927, and picture Mr H. Holland as Prime Minister and Mr Barry as Minister of Agriculture. The avowed policy of Labour is to control the means of production, distribution and exchange, and so far as several of our industries are concerned, including the dairy industry, they will have the control, problem well in hand. Business people look upon these control boards as providing openings for fat-salary jobs for a great many men who could not in other occupations have earned the same money. Of course, it is realised that the control boards cannot help doing some good, but. their existence introduces a new and vicious system of political interference with trade and industry. It is limited control today, to-morrow it will be unlimited control.—-I am, etc., J.P.