DAIRY CONTROL.

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15361, 9 October 1923, Page 6

DAIRY CONTROL.

MATANGI APPROVES. MEETING OF SUPPLIERS* In furtherance of the Dairy Export Control Act, a meeting of dairy suppliers' was held at the Matangi Hall yesterday, where addresses were given by Messrs J. A. Young, M.P.. S. Lye (president of the Waikato branch of the Farmers' Union), and R. Somcrville (Te Kuiti). The chair was taken by Mr J, T, Bryant. One Big Co-op. Concern. Mr Lye explained that the Act was not a farmers' measure, but had the Farmers' Union been strong enough two years ago the union would have had credit for bringing the measure forward. An argument used against the Bill was that it would result in lowering the standard of the produce. This he described as nonsense. The reverse would, he considered, be the cas'e, for the produce would be graded ' and the inducement would be for factories to strive to raise the quality to the highest level possible. The speaker reviewed the shipping problem, and said that at the present time it cost £12,000 to turn an overseas vessel round in New Zealand waters, owing to the great delays which were necessitated by having to call at the smaller ports in order to make up a cargo. As small separate entities what chance had the different, companies of making a favourable deal with the shipping companies? With, however, a board controlling the whole of the dairy produce of the Dominion, they 'could demand respect and obtain concessions. The Act would be instrumental in turning New Zealand into one big co-operative concern, each company co-operating to get the most out of the market, but each nevertheless working as' a separate unit towards improving the quality and out- *. put in order to help the board to command the best possible price price on the Home markets. Besides saving a considerable sum on shipping freights, a large amount of money would also be saved in intermediate commissions'. Feeding the Market. Mr R! Somerville said the Act was not what the promoters expected it to be, but he believed it was an honest attempt by Parliament to give the producers a workable measure. The speaker said he recently had a conversation with a Tooley Street merchant who visited the Dominion, and who emphasised the great necessity of feeding New Zealand butter on to the English market in regular quantities. He said that once the British buttereating public acquired a palate for New Zealand butter they would touch no other while the New Zealand product was available. At present, however, there was a flush of New Zealand butter during two or three months of the year, and then the supply fell and the consumers had to fall back on other butters, and their education had to be started all over again the following season. It was only by controlling the supply on to. the market that they could ; command good steady prices. There -had been a big squeal by the, opposition against the term | "compulsion" dn'-. the Act. All laws •were compulsory, however, and everybody was subject to them in every walk of life. Compulsion was absolutely necessary to get anywhere in any reform.

Mr J. A. Young, M.P., pointed out " that the Act was there for the settlers themselves to bring into operation if they so desired. It merely provided for an extension of the co-operative principle,, with Which they were all familiar in the manufacture of dairy produce. It was not, as urged in some quarters, either socialism or syndicalism. It was an opportunity to' extend co-operation to its logical outcome with respect to the handling and export of butter and cheese, so as to assure to the producer in New Zealand the fullest possible measure of remuneration for that which he exported abroad. It should prove a sound economic undertaking, not only for the dairy farmer but for New Zealand itself, in that it would cut out a large quantity of intermediary expenses which were not entirely necessary in

the marketing of butter and cheese overseas, by reason of it bringing more „ money into New Zealand than at present was derived from a given quantity of export produce. Contrary to Fact.

Mr Bryant said it had been rumoured in the Matangi district that if the measure was carried the glaxo agreement would be broken and that the glaxo suppliers would be paid the same as any other suppliers—that all would be paid alike. This was absolutely contrary to fact. Mr Young: Absolutely. Mr Somerville said that the price to be paid under control would always be the highest possible to obtain. This only stood to reason, for the markets would be so fed so as to ensure the top price being secured. " Answering a question, Mr A. J. Helghway said there had been a little duplication of voting papers', which arose in some cases of suppliers sending their cream to more than one factory, or to the same factory for different purposes at different periods of the year. "The N.Z. Co-operative Dairy Co. had warned the Electoral office of the danger of duplication in certain cases, as' it was more or less unavoidable in the circumstanoes. Mr Young said persons who had received two voting papers would be well advised to exercise one vote only and to return- the other to the electoral officer untouched, as the Act specifically provided that every voter should be entitled to one vote only. Mr Somerville, in answer to a question as 1 to whether the Act could be rejected if it proved unsuccessful, said he was a "cow cockie" first and a director of the Dairy Company next. His living was on the farm, and if he found that the Act was not working well he would be one of the first to start an agitation against it. Mr J. A. Young said the Act could be repealed by a further Act of Parliament. Mr Somerville stated that Sir Thomas Clements, when in New Zealand recently, had stated that the producers of New Zealand did not realise what their strength was. 'They had the goods that made money, and could demand 'practically their own conditions from the shipping companies and command their own prices on the market. Most Economical Way.

Mr Young thought they could rest assured that the Control Board would handle the produce in the most economical way possible. By concentrating supplies at the large central ports they would, enable the overseas vessels to fill up and depart quickly, instead of having to hang for weeks' around the coast of the Dominion picking up small quantities, and thus piling up the expenses. Mr Heighway explained that the Board would not fix prices, which would be governed by economic conditions and the law of supply and demand. The Board would tend to harmonise prices and to get the top figure possible under the conditions' existing. After a few more questions had been asked and answered satisfactorily Mr

W. Ranstead moved the following motion, which was carried: "That this meeting of Matangi dairy suppliers approves' of the Dairy Control Act, and recommends the farmers throughout the district to vote for it." • Mr Dunford, manager of the glaxo factory, dissented.

APPROVAL FROM DANNEVIRKE. COMPULSION NECESSARY. The Dannevirko Chamber of Commerce wrote to the Hamilton Chamber last night to the effect that they disagreed with the resolution passed by the Wellington Chamber to the effect that all the compulsory clauses' of the proposed Dairy Produce Export Control Act should be eliminated. The Dannevirke Chamber considered that if these clauses were omitted the proposed legislation would be useless as far as the dairy pool was concerned. The Hamilton Chamber took no action in the matter.