DAIRY PRODUCTION

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 189, 9 May 1944, Page 3

DAIRY PRODUCTION

State Attitude Considered Unsympathetic

NELSON FARMERS’ VIEWS

There was a full attendance of the I directors of the four dairy companies in the Nelson ward, and a number of individual dairy-farmers, at the New Zealand Dairy Board ward meeting at Motueka on Saturday. The South Island member of the dairy board. Mr. J. Dualop, was in the chair, and the meeting was addressed by the chairman of the dairy hoard. Mr. W. E. Hale. At the conclusion of the meeting the following resolution Was carried unanimously: "That after hearing the chairman of the dairy hoard and the ward member, the dairy-farmers present regret that the monetary reward from the new price is not a just one, either to the farmer or his employees, and deplores the attitude of the Government as not sympathetic to the industry, or more helpful to the cause of additional production, but agrees that the efforts of all farmers should be pledged to meet the call for increased output.” . , . Mr. Hale said that the dairy board had been alarmed for a long time about the very serious decline in the dairying industry and had considered the many causes with a view to checking the rapid decline in dairy cow numbers. One of the difficulties which had led to the present position was the problem of disposal of dairy produce about two years ago. This problem had largely disappeared. There were labour and other difficulties which led to the decline and the estimated decrease in dairy cows was now 100,000. A great number of farmers had given up dairying and the failure of farmers to rear heifer calves had resulted in a shortage of 60,000 this year. As soon as the hew Minister of Agriculture was appointed the matter was discussed with him, and he w’as now acquainted with the seriousness of the position both at the present time and also looking to the future. Since then, the board had had discussions with the Minister every month. Mr. Hale said that he considered that if the initial plan which the Government had placed before representatives of the industry had been made public, there would have been a better understanding. He could not see anything confidential in it. Mr. Hale stated that the Government had definitely promised that all labour required by the industry would be made available- He stressed the need for comparative wages and conditions so that the men coming back to the industry would be contented. The increase of 1,21,d. was given for the purpose of providing an increase of 11/6 per week per labour unit. Heifer Calf Scheme. Mr. Hale said that the scheme submitted to the Government was for a subsidy of £1 a head on all heifer calves and not, as was announced by the Prime Minister, on all heifer calves over and above the first five. The owners of small herds were not at all happy with the position, particularly' in view of the levy of 2/- a head on bobby calves. The matter was to be discussed further with the Government as it was not at all fair to the small farmer. The scheme whereby the Lands Department will purchase good quality calves selected by the Herd Recording Council for the purpose of creating a reserve of good stock for returning servicemen, would commence next year. The department intended to add only graizng charges to the purchase price and these cows should be available to returned men at very reasonable cost. They were to be raised on the land taken for soldier settlement Mr. Hale, in appealing to. all dairy company directors and individual suppliers to do their share, said that every increase helped. The target this year was an increase of 10 per cent: next year, 15 per cent.; and in the third year, 20 per cent. He realized that this might sound optimistic, and that it depended, to a large extent on climatic conditions, but he had sufficient faith in the dairy-farmer to say that it could be done. The increase was the responsibility of individual dairy companies. It could be attained by the industry itself and not by new regulations and laws. Farmers, he said, do not want any further legislation governing their industry. The industry had a chance of showing its ability to mind its own affairs and do a job.