DAIRY BOARD MEETS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 69, Issue 7, 2 May 1944, Page 5

DAIRY BOARD MEETS

+9 WARD CONFERENCE HELD CROWDED WHAKATANE MEETING The Whakatane ward! confer- » ence of the New Zealand Dairy Board was held in Whakatane on Thursday, April 27., Mr A. J. : Murdoch, the member for the district being in. the chair, and ' presiding over a very representative attendance of directors and suppliers of the Bay of Plenty district. Welcoming those present, Mr Murdoch explained that for the past two ; years the Board had held no ward conferences because, of transport difficulties, but they had regretted not . being able to meet those who were " intimately concerned production in the various districts. This was the opportunity for those in the • district to put forward their suggestions as to what improvements were required both in the scheme now .. proposed for securing increased •dairy, production, and for any matters affecting their own district. After paying a tribute to the great work put up by their own producers in the dairy industry, and particularly the women and children (oil the farms, Mr Murdoch said they iiad to recognise also that in Great Britain the farmers had been carrying on a wonderful job in providing the necessaries of life for the soldiers and war workers who were playing their part in the war effort. He quoted impressive figures indicating the great production increases secured in Britain, despite all handicaps, and said that following on Britain's call to New Zealand for increased butter land cheese production, we too must work to the utmost of our ability to secure increased production. Help for Britain. Despite various things that were -Irritating them such as reduced fertiliser and unnecessary legilastion. he wanted to ask them to extend themselves just a little further to help Britain. They all knew that man power was the key toi increased production. The. Government had promised the men, and he suggested that farmers in the district should fill in the forms as quickly as possible. so that they would be sure of securing men when they were required, and so that they would not have to wait. They had to watch too and see that those who were working on farms and running them -were not called up. In his own town, Whangarei, 27 men had recently been called up —some of whom were running farms —and he had wired the Minister of. Defence pointTing to the waste of time involved -in commencing those, proceedings while at. the same time they were bringing back men from the Armed Forces. The Minister of Manpower, Mr McLaglen, had had the matter referred to him and had notified him (Mr Murdoch) to take the matter -up urgently with the local manpower officer and the men would be Referred. He (Mr Murdoch) therefore suggested that if. they were ever faced with a similar situation they should do the same as he Jiad done, he felt sure their men would be retained. Fertiliser Problem Feistiliser was another thing they ;needed. The Board had made many representations urging the need for more fertiliser, and he believed that •every effort was now being made to secure it. So far as the price was concerned, while the. Prime Minister's statement might lead them to believe that the industry representatives had agreed on the price, that was not the case. The committee set up by the Dairy Industry Council had accepted the 1.21 d but had sat tight on the 1.4,7 d recommendation, and right at the very end of the negotiations had reaffirmed that the minimum required to achieve the object desired, was the 1.47 d. He personally had never agreed with pig cropping subsidy but had thought that the increased payment should have been made on the pig meat.. They were hoping for an early and successful conclusion, to the warNew Zealand had a part to play in the years ahead in food production, but that part, could be successfully carried out only if those in authority recognised the need for planning for several years ahead. The Board 3iad the interests of the industry at heart and had done everything it j)osibly could. He thought that the ifirst tiling the meeting should do was to give Great Britain an indication that they would do everything (Continued in nest column)

they could to increase production because that wa's their plain duty. (Applause). Resolutions Carried The following resolutions were carried by the meeting:— "That to the best of our ability under the conditions that obtain and although we feel that the industry lias been unjustly treated we the members of the Whakatane ward conference of the Dairy Board, express our determination to encourage to the utmost the increased production of dairy produce to meet the needs of Great Britain." "That.this conference recommends that plans should be prepared by the Dairy Board so that at the termination of the war, the handling of its own produce could be handled by the industry, and that this suggestion be. discussed at other ward conferences, and at the Dominion conference."

"That this meeting advise, the Government that the increase of 1.21 d in the butterfat price is unsatisfactory as an incentive to increased production; that only the urgent need of Great Britain will under present conditions be. responsible for the country's efforts to secure the necessary increase, and this conference therefore asics the Government to implement the advice of the Dairy Industry Council and pay the amount • of. 1.47 d per lb butterfat." "That in lieu of the levy of 2s per calf, ,the whole of the calf subsidy should be paid out of War Expenses Account." "That in view of the urgent necessity to maintain and increase production this conference is of the opinion that the Government should give favourable consideration to the application made for assistance on behalf of settlers who have suffered by flood and caterpillar damage." In connection with the last, resolution the chairman, Mr Murdoch, assured those present that he had every sympathy with them in their plight as a result of the floods, and that he would do his utmost to secure I redress for them.