BOBBY CALVES

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20422, 12 February 1938, Page 5

BOBBY CALVES

NEXT SEASON’S WORK MR PHILLIP’S STATEMENT NATIONAL ORGANISATION "The present time seems opportune to mention that owing to the confused state of the minds of bobby calf producers regarding their industry it was considered Imperative in their Interests that an independent investigation of the vital aspects of the industrv should be carried out on their behalf,” stated Mr W. A. Phillips, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Pig Marketing Association, in a message to suppliers in the official organ of the association this week. During last September representations were accordingly made to the Minister of Marketing.” the message continues. This investigation has since been made, which to us was indeed welcome, since it gave us the only opportunity we have yet had to clarify the position from the producers. point of view. This, notwithstanding the fart that a leadinc: body of the dairy industry, whose interests should In all resperts be common to our own. have seen fit to make definite recommendations to the Government upon which our organisation was not even consulted. Their action, in view of our position in this industry, including its vital considerations in regard to our principal operations, leaves us no option to the belief that these considerations were not weighed against their expressed and unvoiced intentions in dealing with the powers asked for. Co-operative Interests • "In the dairy industry, which is entirely controlled by co-operative Interests, their knowledge and actions should be unquestioned, but in the meat industry, in which our own association is the only truly co-operative organisation In existence, surely on our past performance we can claim at least equal rights in guiding producer interests to the most satisfactory solution of this involved problem, i In the past, competition within cooperative circles In the dairy Industry has proved its greatest evil, the perpetuation of which In the meat industry is now our greatest anxiety. » ‘"While the competition for this product In New Zealand is real, it is not generally recognised that its source Is principally fop works’ klllin*rs, and not, as is commonly assumed, for the product itself. This factor, together •with the preponderance of works, owned as they are by the principal exporters, who also control the bottleneck through which two-thirds of our veal exports pass on to the world’s markets, combine the very crux of this problem for producer consideration. Bobby Calf Pools | There are in existence two cooperative bobby calf pools whloh on broad lines have apparently been successful. These are in Southland and Wairarapa. In both of these districts there are only two logical and economical killing points; hence there has yet been no competition for the product. The price received by the Wairarapa pool has not suffered much, since this has necessarily been go\erned by the price paid by the owners of this works In all other parts of New Zealand, whose price elsewhere has been regulated by the activities of competing works owned by their exporting competitors and our own company. "The geopgraphical and other vital conditions peculiar to these two particular areas are almost unique in both islands —a fact which seems to (Continued In next colunci)

have been overlooked In measuring the possibilities of a successful extension of this voluntary co-operative method of operation. Producer Ownership "We have always maintained, and now firmly reiterate, our contention that against the factors I have mentioned only complete New Zealand producer ownership under one national control could ultimately succeed ?n achieving the producers’ objectives—viz., a square deal for the individual and a continuous fair value for his product. Any other course in a varying degree must play into the hands of predominating works’ interests, which also represent the dominating Influences on this and our export markets. "These are powerful influences whose interests would obviously benefit from the concentrated competition for bulk supply which would follow upn n any system of independent district pooling. All real evidence so far gained In this direction confirms this v)p ' v - The real strength of our organisation to-day is its national character and operation. District calf pools, working independently with the parochial considerations and complications which would inevitably follow, would make fertile soil on which to promote district pig and cull-cow pools, and thus eventually bring about the disintegration of the only effective producer co-operative influence now operating In New Zealand's meat trade to-day. "Ours is a service organisation absolutely owned and controlled by producers,’’ concluded Mr Phillips'! “As such our alms and objects are, as they should be, absolutely free of political bias. Our job, therefore, under all circumstances. Is to safeguard and promote, with and through any Government. the welfare of our shareholders. This being our rigid and permanent policy, we are anxious that producers’ real interests in this very vital matter should not, as sometimes happens, be made the chopping-block for political considerations."