PIG INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18630, 7 May 1932, Page 3

PIG INDUSTRY.

RE-ORGANISATION PLAN.

FARMERS' SUPPORT URGED. MOVEMENT IN WAIKATO. With the object of eliciting support from primary producers, officers of the New Zealand Co-operative Pig Marketing Association waited on the Waikato sub-provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union yesterday and explained proposals for reorganising the Association which are not yet completed. Mr W. A. Phillips, chairman of directors of the Pig Marketing Association, said his Association appreciated the desire of the Farmers’ Union to help them. It was not so long ago that the Association was in a very shaky condition. Since January the Association had handled 17,000 pigs and was becoming of real assistance to the farmer. Indications were that the market next year would be* steadier. Considerable opposition had been met with in connection with, the policy of killing at Westfield, bu). this had been anticipated. It war. highly desirable to keep the 'Organisation on a co-operative basis and to avoid the trusts as far as- possible. Had his Association, however, not made an important change in killing and storage arrangements it was threatened with going out of existence. The Association was bound to the Westfield Freezing Company for 12 months and anything but constructive criticism at this stage was uncalled for. Tho Association required the help of farmers and it could be given If efforts were made by them to use their Influence In obtaining a better basis regarding freezing, storage and killing charges after the 12 months was over. Controlling Local Market. The Association was being recapitalised at present and it was desirable to get a supply arrangement with the farmers, added Mr Phillips. It was hoped that it would be possible to control the local market. There was no Intention of exploiting the local market, hut it was thought fid per 111 would he a fair price for die farmer to obtain for his product. Any help the farmers could offer would lie warmly apprcelaicd. (Applause). -Mr E. E. Hale, chairman of the ] Waikato Pig Recording Club, said one of I he objectives was a "big push" in the industry. To-day Ihe pig offered one of the greatest economical gains the country could have. l.iltle cost j would be involved and the gain was so j great that a big effort should be made to revitalise the industry. The average i farmer was Ignorant of pig production ! to a large degree. II was essential | to gel a uniform basis of working both ' from a production and marketing point,' of view. Breed would probablv i cause much controversy, hut the | fanners should not worry about breed ! bn), type. The breed point of view was Ihi’ narrow point of view. lie counselled Hie Union to advise its members to supply pigs now and not

to wait until the end of the season. The greater the turnover the lower the costs would be and the sounder the position of the Association at the end of the season. The Association were not asking for actual capital from the Farmers’ Union members but capital in the form of pigs. New Share Basis. The new basis of shareholding under consideration by the Pig Marketing Association was explained fully by the secretary, Mr G. F. Saunders. Considerable interest in the share basis was evinced and many questions asked. Mr Phillips agreed that the application of a system similar to the Patterson Scheme might be successful. He believed the New Zealand farmers would get a certain amount of preference at the Ottawa Conference and he preferred the quota system under which supplies of pork on the English market from other countries- would be reduced proportionately to the increased supplies from New Zealand. Mr Cowley (Ohaupo) moved the following resolution which had been passed by his branch:—“That jd per lb be levied on all pigs slaughtered in the Dominion to provide an export bounty on all pork exports, also that the Government subsidise another id ■on all pork exported." Mr J. Mackay said, as a pig producer, he was not in favour of levying id per lb as It would cause too muchjopposltion. It was gratifying to know that 6d would he paid out on old shares and that the £2OOO advanced to the Association by farmers would not he liquidated. Mr Phillips considered one of the

weaknesses of the old organisation was the system of pools. It was considered better to realise-a fair average price over twelve months, similar to butterfat payments. The Association had no intention of speculating, believing it was preferable to keep pork continually moving so that small parcels would always be arriving on the London market. The president (Mr J. H. Furniss) expressed appreciation to the pig marketing officers for addressing the committee and outlining the proposals. in a subsequent discussion on Mr Cowley’s motion Mr R. H. Feisst (Cambridge) said the scheme was operating on similar lines in Australia and giving good results. He moved an amendment that a copy of the resolution he forwarded to the Meat Producers’ Board for its opinion. Mr S. N. Ziman, opposing both the motion and the amendment, said Mr I -Feisst had sought the abolition of [ protection and then asked for a similar 1 sort of protection. All methods of protection should be eliminated. Including protection for the. farmers. While the Patterson Scheme, as applied In the pig industry, might be "very nice” it involved a vicious principle. The president agreed with Mr Ziman that the resolution would he used as a cudgel against, the farmers. Both the motion and the amendment were lost.