BUTTER CONTROL

Hokitika Guardian, 5 June 1925, Page 1

BUTTER CONTROL

Mr ,J. I!. Hamilton of the Dairy Control Board addressed a small meeting of farmers at the Town Hall on Wednesday night. His Worship the Mayor (Mr C. A. Derry) presided, and introduced the speaker briefly. -Mr Hamilton referred at the outset to the set of circumstances which led

’ up to the movement for butter control. He install' cd v. liat had liappen- ’* cd with the .Meat Board, and show- " ed how jiricc.s had been stabilised as j 1 a result of Licit Beard being set up 1 and looking' into various matters. As regards huttei', the marketing at Home f* "'its tound to he very unsatisfactory. 1 Ihe i iiidit ions fur handling in London were referred to. and it was explained t■'i ot the conditions were quite primitive and altogether against maintaining the quality ot the ,Ww Zealand product. I he butter was handled with such tiegb- l that it could not otherwise than deteriorate. Full use was not being made ”1 the cool storage available. "Idle the transport hv Thames bargee "'ii - negh rtiul also. From those causes il was easy to understand the complaints as to quality of the butter "lieu it reached the consumer, and the decline in quality affected the price realised by the farmers. Ihe Dairy Coutro! Board members h«i went Home were able to ilivestiaate mat tors generally, and saw where the handling o.uiM he remedied to the beiielit of the hut ter and the realisable price. 1 hey found too how noodv '.peculators were affecting the public U'ices ot butter. A specula fur who overloaded. oiler had to realise quiekl.v. and a price which was up on a Saturday evening, was dow n on a Monday morning. There was not stabilitv Mmttt the prices current. The Control Beard felt it could eliminate speculation by selling through regular agents, and in Unit way the price would not lie at the mercy ot the strong or weak man financially. The whole

weakness in the selling ot the butter was the element of speculation, and thi-i it Was proposed to overcome. Absolute eontrol was necessary. That was the motive of the Act. Partial con iml was not satisfactory, for it did not meet the situation. The Board proposed a ,stile course, ami increased steadiness in prices would he the result. Brin s to farmers would he more regular and in m eordance with the grade value of the commodity, .for the oosl. butter it was proposed to add a super grade, hut all New Zealand butter would hear the fern leaf brand, and would lie known universally as such. A certain amount of blending "cut on to the detriment of the popularity at Mottle of the colonial product. \\ here possible it was intended to sell the .New Zealand butter in pound furious, with the brand plainly showing, ami there would lie no mistake as to the origin of the commodity, everything possible would lie done to popularise the article, and in its true name. New Zealand butter' would cou*in He to gain in the popular favor. Mr Hamilton eetieluded with a reference to the coming election jo the Board, and asked the farmers to give fair consideration to the proposals and the desire to see the eontrol scheme

have at least a genuine trial. At the close of Mr Hamilton’s address several questions wore asked by the dairy farmers present. Mr M'ard moved a vote of thanks lo Mr Hamilton for the address and the information afforded. This was seconded by Mr Fleming and carried. A vote ol thanks to the Mayor tor prodding closed the meeting, though sit. ■ra I ol those uri si in remained and asked a number oi questions about details uf the scheme and presented ihe lui id .1 .Spcet of the ease In the visitor vvi listened attentively and afforded all i lie ilib final ion lie could.