DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17385, 23 April 1928, Page 6

DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

TO LIMIT COMPETITION. k k CO-OPERATION WITH AUSTRALIA. VIEWS OF MR. GOODFELLOW. “I desire to emphasise the magnitude of the butter production of Australia and to point out the imperative necessity for some co-ordination of Australian and New Zealand overseas marketing, with the object of limiting competition between the two countries,” said Mr W. Goodfellow, managing director of the New Zealand Co-opera-tive Dairy Company, Ltd., in an interview on Saturday. This matter has been the primary object of his recent visit to the Commonwealth, and be remarked with satisfaction that, negotiations for effective co-operation between the two countries in London were now proceeding along lines which should be of mutual advantage to the producers, both of Australia and of New Zealand. Australian dairy farmers were now enjoying a period of excellent production, and during the past six months there had been an ample rainfall in the eastern States, with the result that it - was now anticipated exports of dairy produce from those regions, for the current year, would exceed those of the previous season. The total amount of butter shipped from the Common- , wealth this season to date had aggregated 28,500 tons, compared with 25,700 tons for the corresponding period of the 1926-27 season. Exports from Australia. Details of the shipments, with those for the previous year in parentheses, were as follows: —New south Males, 4687 tons (5816, tons); Victoria, 8565 tons (11,444 tons); Queensland, 14,391 tons y 7310 tons) ; South Australia, 274 tons (715 tons); Tasmania, 609 tons (455 tons). It was probable the toLal exports from Australia for the current season would reach 40,000 tons, and if the early part of the season had been satisfactory, would, in ail probability, have exceeded 60,000 tons. Referring to the new Australian butter tariff, which comes into operation on June 15, Mr Goodlellow said he did not. desire in any way to embarrass the Government of either country by a public discussion. However, he found there was a very strong feeling. both in New South Wales and Victoria, that Australia had gone ‘‘protection mad.” A tariff board bad been set up by the Commonwealth, and apparently regarded it as its special function to increase tariffs all round. The result of this policy was already .apparent. The cost of living was steadily rising, and the workers, as a result,"had lo be paid increased wages. The only people in the community who benefited were a comparatively few manufacturers, while Hie effect of the increased wages prevented the farmers from employing the additional labour necessary to improve and develop their farms. This in turn resulted in I lie inability of Australia to absorb the increasing population. Business Very Bad. Prominent business inon in Melbourne had informed him that business in general in Australia was very bad, and that at least 30,000 people were out of work in Melbourne alone. The people of New Zealand, slated Mr Goodfellow, would be well advised to resist strenuously any further increase in the tariff, and lie bad no hesitation in saying that a substantial reduction would be in the best interests of the country. Mr (iondfellow visited some of Ihe large Australian fertiliser works, but found Hint although Ihey were, then operating at high pressure, very little artificial fertiliser was used by the dairy farmers of the Commonwealth. Most of il went to the wheatgrowers. The Australian dairy farmer was only just commencing lo appreciate the possibilities of increased production by the use of superphosphate. Little interest was taken in herd-testing and cream-grading and, generally speaking, the Australian dairy industry was many years behind New Zealand in such matters. This, in all probability, was due to the enormous extent of the country, which made it difficult for dairymen lo meet and exchange ideas. The Dominion, in this sense was much more favourably situated geographically.