THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 230, 23 June 1920, Page 7

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

Sir,—The dairy industry is New Zealand's greatest industry, and it has wonderful possibilities for development. To secure this, progress must bo made on safo and sound lines. Energy and thought must be directed towards an ideal that is common to all. Each section of the community is interested in its future quite as much as the 'dairy farmer, one can. Ijfelp the other to mutual advantage. " The National Dairy Association, which should be a national organisation, but .is not, has got off the track. It has been developing on wrong lines. This is hardly to be wondered at. It is nothing to be ashamed of. _ It has simply taken the -wrong turning in the road, and has lo retrace its steps. Many large business concerns have had to do the same. A halt has to bo made in order to study the position and consider afresh the fundamental .purposes of the organisation. It has done 6ome good work, and has gained a heap of experience. For years past certain interests \have been at variance in the dairy industry, instead of working and pulling together, they have been fighting each other. This is not aB it should bo,. Each side.thinks it is right. . Both may bo wrong, I am not on either (side, but I am an onlooker interested in the future success of the industry and familiar with every movement that has taken place. Thero are men with great ability on both sides that should, and could, if properly managed, conduct tho affairs of . the dairy industry on progressive an<J sound lilies. This does not mean an amalgamation of interests, it simply means a clear understanding as to the right and proper lines along which each side should develop, then with mutual good-will, sound progress could bo made. The latest movo of the N.D.A. in connection with its marketing scheme will certainly bring matters to a climax, and no doubt members will insist upon a "general -stock-taking" at tho annual meeting on .Wednesday noxt. Tho N.D.A. might woll take a lead from tho experience of the National Grange in tho United States, in tho result of its fifty Years' struggle in tho interests offaming. The National Grange is an institution somewhat similar to our Farmers' Union; it believes it has discovered the dead-line between co-opera- • five and private business. Fifty years jti tho harsh school of experience have broughf the leaders of this farming fraternity to the united conolusion that there are certain limita beyond which an organisation ventures at groat hazard,. Several times the threatened dissolution ' 1 of the Grange has brought leaders to a halt before tho facts that foroed them to consider anew tho fundamental purposes , of tho organisation. It has a long list , of accomplishments to its credit, . $nd 1 "jawkioally. every burner eiitwprisq 1

that tlie Grange has attempted ha) ed ill failure" is its.own verdict. Tfow, ; does not mean that it has not BUcceeM. : in some forms of eo-operativo business, ; but refers to its purely business projects. ■'! The sum of the Grange experience had '• been that there is a very definito limit . beyond which co-operation does not sue- 1 j ceed. This limit is determined by tho, skilful management that can be hired. ' by tho Grange in competition with pri-. vate enterprise. It all hinges on tlw; ■; fact that the hired manager' with, a \ large number of bosses will not do what a private corporation can, and will do,; to win. The National Grange burned. ■ ] its fingers, and backed up on its business adventures. This does not mean that the Grange is now opposed to 00-opera-tion. On the contrary, it believes that, there are new opportunities for co-opera- j tion amongst farmers, and they have a clearer and better knowledge as to tho direction for success in their enterprise. i In the declaration of the Grange principles adopted at the last annual meeting, the following appears, wliioh I quote at length because it is all necessary to the argument:— i "Production and distribution are gepa- ■■! rate and distinct functions. When the, time and efforts of a farmer aro spenfc l 1 in distributing his products, that time -:J and effort is taken away from production., ! The larger part of the work of distribu- ; tion is done by persons who are not • farmers. That the farmer's responsibility ceases when the product of the farm ' .is tamed over to tho distributor. The' ■ producer should sell as near the point of ; production as possible/ and guided by this same eoonomic law, farmers should buy as near the source of production as . ■' < possible. Tor this purpose the co-opera- '. i tive buying of farm supplies.is strongly urged." The situation is thus stated in a few words from the Grange ritual: 5j "The work of another day demands our 'j attention; • ''' ■ ■ . Let each repair to his, or her, allotted- v. station." —I am, etc., PROGRESS. Wellington, June 21, 1920, I