DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL.

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15354, 1 October 1923, Page 6

DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL.

To the Editor,

Sir, —I happened to attend a dairy clearing sale quite lately, and was much interested and rather amused at a discussion on the Dairy Produce Export Control Act. One dairy farmer, rather a superior speaker with quite a knowing nod and wink, was holding forth that his opinion was it was no good. He did not appear to have any particular reason or reasons, but his opinion was it was no good, and time would tell. Certainly time will tell, and my humble opinion is if dairy farmers lake this golden opportunity of voting that the Act- be brought into operation time will toil a good story, too. Now, sir, are there any farmers who have two or three pigs, calves or cows for sale, be the stuff ever so poor or miserable,'that they do not go and see that they have affair run? I think not. But here we are doing our utmost to produce the best dairy produce in the world, all under control, compulsory inspection, ditto grading, and rightly so. Why should the careless person spoil the careful person’s output? I have heard it said that the dairy farmer wishes to control the price. By the way, the farmer is one ol the only artisans who docs not and cannot put a price on his wares. Supply and demand control the price. There is no getting away from that fact, provided, of course, that the supply can be got to where the demand is. Now, that being so, and it is so, why should he not get the full value for his wares, In this case dairy produce, on the world's market i.

Some years ago, when I held a seat on the directorate of the most northern factory in New Zealand, after much trying I succeeded in getting our company to export a portion of our butter. We happened to strike the lowest price the London market had dropped to for perhaps years, and the shipment netted exactly what wo had been receiving. You may guess my fellow directors had rather the smile. I replied: “We have struck the lowest; try again. We may strike the highest, and we now know the difference.” I afterwards found we were most unfortunate. Our first shipment arrived along with several other New Zealand butter boats; I believe three. Now, sir, who got the advantage of the temporary fall in the market? Not the consumer. No, sir, there were others who saw to that. Butter dropped about 27s per cwt, the speculator hopped in and bought up. There were no more New Zealand boats due. In a few days up went the price. Ever since that experience I have hoped for the day that the dairy farmer should have a chance to regulate his supplies so that a uniform article could bo put on the market at regular intervals. In my letter prior to the amalgamation I remarked that my greatest hope was that it would be carried, and that we should then have more strength in arranging shipping and looking after our own interest at the other end—-have a Goodfellow there. What ridiculous, unbusinesslike methods: produce the best, put it on the ship, and ask the broker at the other end to do his best, and put proceeds in the bank as quickly as possible. Now Brother Farmers, an opportunity has arrived. Many of your fellow farmers have given it tremendous thought and consideration and at much -trouble, expense, and self-denial to themselves have gained one of the greatest opportunities to better our position. Just think for a moment: 2d per lb on one company's produce alone, for three seasons, produced £BO,OOO, and secured a coal mine in running order for their suppliers. How many three-farthings have been lost to tbe New Zealand dairy farmers, and not gained by the consumers? I sincerely hope that the huge majority will vote for their own good, and have the Act brought into operation.—l am, etc., E. M. MASTERS, farmdr. Cambridge Rd., Hamilton.