THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1718, 8 April 1913, Page 8

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

UNWHOLESOME COMPETITION.

A prominent dairyman, who lias just .'Completed a tour, ol the Auckland piovince, remarked to a representative ■nf Tll ij UoMisiox yesterday that there is one factor in connection with the dairy busiiness.iu the north (and it applies to some ;extent io other districts, iii New Zealand) which is not making for the good of the industry. This is the clement of competition between the various co-operative companies and private concerns tor supplies of cream. This, it is stated, is having a very 'detrimental effect on the quality of the butter made, and, our informant is convinced that where the competition is 'keenest the result must •eventually .be"a loss' to the farmers. Somo times two. or perhaps more, factories are established close together when one would be quite aniplo for the requirements of the district, and the result is that tlio expense of running the two concerns has. to be boriio by the settlors in the locality, whereas jf there was only one-factory a higher price could bo paid for the raw material, as the working expenses would be less in proportion to the quantity of produce manufactured. The farmer frequently considers himself independent when he has two rival concerns in his district, but lie does not realise that his own packet would bo better lined by one good factory which every man in the district was doing his best to 'forward. There should be no such thing as competition between co-operative dairy companies, and from the farmers' and the general view-point' the best ■' th'iilg that could happen where two concerns iaro competing in the one locality.is that 'they should, if possible, come to. an'agreement 'to amalgamate, and thereby consolidate -the local interest'! 1 , and reduce the cost of'manufacture to r a minimum. ,