DAIRY CONTROL BOARD.

Waikato Times, Volume 99, Issue 16654, 20 November 1925, Page 2

DAIRY CONTROL BOARD.

CONSUMERS’ VIEWPOINT,

FAIR PLAY WANTED

From a Correspondent.) LONDON, Sept. 22

Since Mr W.‘ C. Motion' ancl Mr W. A. lorns (representatives of the Dairy Control Board) arrived in London they r.ave successfully evaded the efforts ot newspaper representatives to interview ihern. Naturally, the trade is anxious to know what their intentions are, but Ihev have firmly declined to make any statement for the benefit of the British public: This,- of course, is only natural, as their work for a long time will consist of investigation into the real conditions on this side. One docs not learn the ramifications of the Lonrioffi market in a few months, and the

mnrribers of the Dairy Control Board will have to fee! their way very carefully before making any definite stdtcinent as to their plans. In the meantime there is a very obvious attempt to prejudice Die Control Board in the eyes of the general public. When the Meat Producers’ Board eatric into operation there was an organised publicity campaign against it, financed by certain meat firms. On the present occasion it is not possible to. say whether the articles and paragraphs arc inspired or whether they have been written by journalists who have -not been in touch with Tooley street. Holding Up Supplies. ■“■The Housewife;’’ says the; Daily Dispatch, in' a"leadl}is- article, ‘‘must, buy.." 'dicr: .butter''and chc.esc and the rostyairchcapl-y as-possible,. \ it is no uscYapfiehling to her patriotism and her .‘Empire, sympathies if, in the' old phrase, her- food is lo cost -her more. “For 'example, New Zealand butter

has •'..advanced'" considerably' in price since tiie eifd of last May as the result, it,ls alleged, of holdiiig up supplies and keeping them .oh’ Ihe market unt‘h'_thc'.price, land ’"provides,- we may- note;- 25 per bf life bultcr we feOnSuinC,'. According' to the writer-.of~» our London Dispatch' d similar hording, back, is to be effected in'tmrease 'of Canadian wheat and' Australian wool. “If wc are going to give, all this; help to the Dominions, taxing ourselves to the' tune of'a- million'a year for the purpose, we have a right To .be protected from such trade manoeuvres, the deliberate .object of which is to

? raise the price of our supplies. All we ; ask is fair play. Nothing will more discourage the British-buying movemerit than any suspicion that rings and corners of this sort are in - active' operation.” The Consumer Pays. Reynolds News publishes the following in their very largest type, under thc'lieading of "The Consumer Pays": : "Cost, of living prices-are up again,

; and are likely to show an ascending , figure, for- milk is to go up a penny i a quart, though as against tMis definite : rise, there .is a problematic fall in the price of bread. ' The 'usual'reason for 1 increase of prices, is given—shortage ; of supplies. But'inhehof this shortage is artificially created —in the case of Australian and New Zealand butler the manipulation of the market is xU.-notoriotts. And even when wholesale come down, somebody or other squeezes it all away. In the case of wool textiles, for instance, the man who buys a suit or a pair of trousers gets not a penny benefit. There is • • always a most excellent reason for it. "’"''Excellent, that"i#* from the point of view of those who get the benefit, but Ihc effect is always the same. The g* consumer pays.’’ •■■} There arc other statements similar

"U to-these in'* several other newspapers.* * WKatevei* 'tile', justice or othervdSc of accusations, / they lend to make the'■'ptiblic believe that lhe Dominions have only one object in view—to get as much as they can and give as little as possible. So far as butter is concerned, of course, the price to the public is largely controlled by the public themselves. A retail price of 2s Id or higher immediately sets in rnotibn' d‘ tendency to buy margarine, and the price of butter automatically comes down again. If New Zealand producers and' the Control Board are to receive a higher price for their butter, it’ will Have to be at the expense of the middleman, and by reason of still more efficient organisation and distribution. The prices have reached the limit so far as the consuming public is concerned.