DAIRY INDUSTRY

Waipa Post, Volume 52, Issue 3706, 13 January 1936, Page 8

DAIRY INDUSTRY

INTEREST IN CABINET’S DECISION.

BOARD MEETS TO-MORROW. AU sections of the dairying industry were keenly interested in the announcement last Friday by the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. W. Lee Martin, that the Government had asked the Dairy Board to postpone putting into operation its local and export dairy produce marketing schemes in view of the fact that the Government was at present completing consideration of its policy of guaranteed prices. Although the Government’s action was not altogether unexpected by several in the dairy trade, few anticipated such action so soon. Tooley Street was interested in the development, and between several exporting firms and their London houses cable messages passed during the day.

The Dairy Board is to meet on Tuesday, and its reactions to the Government’s request are. also awaited with considerable interest. Mr C. P. Agar, deputy-chairman, whose vis - it Home to assist in the initiation of the new scheme for the overseas selling of New Zealand dairy produce the Government has asked the board to postpone, was to leave for London on Thursday. Mr Agar was appointed by the last Government as one of its nominees on the board when that body was reconstituted under the Agriculture (Emergency Powers) Act, 1934.

The Prime Minister, Hon. M. J. Savage, questioned as to when he proposed to make a statement concerning the scheme of guaranteed prices, said the examination by the finance sub-committee of Cabinet of all the details had not advanced sufficiently for him to say anything about it yet. There was a multiplicity of points to be considered, and it was not always possible to get the required information immediately. The finance sub-committee had the matter in hand, and the full Cabinet would consider its report. An aspect of the position in which the dairy trade is keenly interested is the fact that a delegation from the Co-op. Wholesale Society, England, is at present in Wellington. The suggestion has been made by prominent Labour representatives in the industry that an arrangement could be made with the society to take the whole of New Zealand’s dairy produce, or at least a very substantial proportion of it. The delegation, which consists of some of the directors of the society and the manager of the dairy produce department, was to meet Ministers next day. At the same time the visit of this delegation can hardly be considered to be one of any political significance, for it was actually on its way to New Zealand before the election, and at that particular time was in Australia. About two or three years ago a delegation from the society visited the Dominion, the members of which had a conference with the Government of the day.