The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 9th, 1924.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 9th, 1924.

MARKETING DAIRY PRODUCE. Aftkh making thorough investigations of the marketing conditions in D,niton, Mr C. i’. Agar, mnager of the Tai Tapu Dairy Co., Ltd., who rcturnod to Christelitireh tlus week, stated that he was lit inly convinced that any control of New Zealand dairy produce through a section of the Tooley Street merchants would result ileti imentally to the producers. Mr Agar made most of his impiiries without revealing that he was a New Zealander or was connected in any way with the sale of New Zealand pro- - (nice. In an interview with a ‘'Lyttelton Times” reporter Mr Agar said he wished to make it ipiile clear that any remarks of his eoiiterning the marketing of New Zealand dairy ] reduce ill ljuiidon had no relation whatever to his past opposition to the Dairy . Control Act. The Act had been pas-seil . and had to he accepted. He had endeavoured to judge the matter impar- * tiallv and had cniiu* hack firmly convinved that any control through a section of the merchants would result dej trimeutally to the producers. “Olio of my main reasons for lielieviug this,” said Mr Agar, “is the competition of Argentine liutter. If tile New Zealand producers clash with the hig interests at Home I am of opinion that the merchants will develop Argentine Out tor in ipiantity and quality to piny ■ against our produce. What 1 think could lie done successfully and with advantage to our ( rodtice is to have a committee of three at Home, as an intelligence UepaiUllcnt, !<;• confe.r weekly with the merchants handling the produce. Mr Agar said he was still opposed to the principle of compulsory control as regards selling other poo; le’s goods and he proposed to suggest at the next Dairy Con fore nee that if compulsory control is instituted those who register their opposition to the principle siiotild have the right to claim being credited with the amount that tho produce would have realised if it had licen shipped and marketed in the ordinary way. “If the Dairy Control Hoard liolieve at any time that by with-holding produce from the market they will realise hotter prices than the factory that claims ordinary marketing price this prnj osal would not entail less to the Hoard, if and in my opinion. a hig if—its manipulation of the market is going to bring substantially incicased prices. The only argument I can see aginst this proposal is that the hoard may make substantially lower prices. To admit this establishes the fact that the board cannot control tho market, therefore it resolves itself into pure gambling with the dairy farmers' produce.” Mr Agar said lie did not have an opportunity of perusing any official records of the conference. “Even with all the information that was available in London.” Mr Agar added, “such as gradings, shipments afloat and prospective makes. I found large buying interests stocked with butter that had suffered the slump in price. With tlie market at lp2s to lofts a e.wt some large interests thought it would he had buying and held off. yet tho market had steadily advanced from that figure to tlie present day price of 188 s to 192 s a cwt. From this can he gathered the difficult task of gauging tlvc Home markets when huge interests with staffs devoted to studying marketing conditions, find it difficult to make correct judgments." With regard to the prospects ahead. Mr Agar said there seemed to be quite a lot of confidence in the markets for the coming season, yet on all hands through Australia one was told that the stock had wintered better than for many years past- and that prospiects were for huge butter production next season. During his stay in London Mr Agar met only the Tai Tapu Dairy Company's own agents in any official capacity, The rest of hjs observations

"ere made as an individual without di.sc.h*,ing any connection with New Zen hi ml or its produce. Aa his inquiries were associated from tho buying side, he felt convinced that the opinions lie had formed were gained from unbiassed sources and not iniluenced by parties wanting factories' outputs. Regarding the position of Danish butter, Mr Agar said that although it was extremely difficult to overcome the prejudice at Home against packet articles of food, if New Zealand butter was to get into the same positon as was occupied by the Danish product the solution appeared to him to lie tho encouragement of the sale ol butter in “pats’’ as is done in tho Dominion. A good deal of New Zealand butter was marketed blended with Argentine and other cheaper brands, lie considered that the New Zealand representatives should discuss with the merchants the feasibility of “patting” the butter before selling it to retailers and others. This would, of course, entail either supplies spread over the year or else the buying in the oir season of other suitable butters in order to maintain the “pat” connection.