The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, MARCH 24th, 1925.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, MARCH 24th, 1925.

l)AIIIV ITIODI'C'E CONTROL, j 'I in-: i rim ijiJt* involved in the matter of dairy prudute control is exorcism*; the minds of those who give the niilijoct more than passing consideration. As a rontoni|K>rarv remarks: So fains the legal position is eourerned, the ruling of the .Utorney-Ceneial (Sir Francis Bell) that the Dairy Produce Control Board already has full power to establish all absolute control over the export and marketing of dairy produce presumably must be accepted as final. Undoubtedly, however, there was a very general impression that the Government, and not the Board, had the final word in authorising absolute control. This was suggested by the wording of Section 12 of the Dairy Produce Control Act of l!)2.'i, which provides that: “For the purpose of enabling the Board effectively to control the export, sale, and distribution of New Zealand dairy produce the Governor-General may . . . prohibit the export ... of any dairy produce save in accordance with a license to he issued by the Minister of Agriculture, subject to such ooutlition.s and restrictions as may he approved by the Board.” The Attorney-General now states that this Section was intended only to give better effect to the Board’s resolutions should it decide to establish not absolute, but limited control. It is none the less certain on that account that dairy producers and other sections of the public were of the opinion that the Board could not take the extreme step of instituting absolute control without the express authorisation of the Government. It is a very material fact that this impression ruled in the public mind at the time when the dairy pool scheme was endorsed. TITe really vital point raised, however, is not the scope of the Board’s authority, but tile wisdom of the course it proposes to pursue. We are wholly in agreement with those who urge that there is much room for improvement in the present methods of marketing dairy produce, and that measures of control are necessary. Tints far it lias not Ixfen demonstrated that the Board cannot bring about these improvements by a system of control similar to that built up by the Meat Control Board and applied very successfully to the regulation of meat shipments. Members of the Dairy Control Board have asserted in general terms that the measures adopted by

the Afeat Control Board will not answer in the ease of dairy produce, but it lias yet to be demonstrated that this contention is sound. ’There is no

evidence in sight that would even tend to justify the Board in preferring a hazardous policy to the sale alternative policy that is clearly available. It is claimed very reasonably that all the objects the Board has in view might ho served without risk by instituting measures of limited control. On the

other hand, it i.s quite obvious that i: it establishes absolute control, the Board will embark on an experiment, involving se:ious risks—an experiment liable to cause friction with the existing friendly marketing organisa-

tion in Britain and convert it into a dangerous opposition. Between the present date and that at which it i.s proposed to bring absolute control into operation it may be possible to arrive at an arrangement which will do away with the necessity for this extreme step. It is evidently incumbent on producers, however, to take a close and keen interest in the proceedings of the Board and the developments of its policy'. The clear indication now given by the Government that it intends to leave the Board an absolutely free hand throws an undivided onus cn dairy producers of protecting their own interests and the national interests that are involved in the maintenance of a pros-

perous export tr-ade in dairy produce. Dairy producers have every right and reason to favour effective measures of control. They .will pay poor regard to their own interests, however if they do not insist on a policy of moving forward hy safe stages in place of the headlong and perilous plunge the Board at present appears to favour.