DAIRY PRODUCE BOARD

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1926, Page 4

DAIRY PRODUCE BOARD

“AX ARBITRARY COMMUNE.” LONDON, Jan 28. As August 1 approaches there will doubtless be more and more intense opposition to the New Zealaftd Dairy Producers’ Board and its proposed operations. The members of the board in London, it should be said, are not making their business or intentions public, but its opponents are decidedly vocal, or, rather, verbal. The Imperial Food Journal, always in opposition to anything in the nature of control, has devoted considerable space this week to reproducing opinions expressed in English and New Zealand newspapers, which point out the dan-' gers of “absolute control.” A letter from “A Mail in the (Toolcy) Street” is also published. Me is somewhat forceful in his language, thus: “The biggest revolutionary change ever contemplated in connection with the distribution of dairy produce on this market is about to be put into force as from August 1. lt)2(i. The New Zealand Dairy Control Hoard has now taken extensive offices ill Adelaide House, adjacent to Toolcy Street. It has appointed ti manager at a salary of £3OOO per annum, free of income tax, and with the assistance of two farmer directors front New Zealand this Control Board is about to decide what is to be done with the twenty million pounds sterling worth of dairy produce which annually is produced in the Dominion of New .Zealand. Although the majority of dairy farmers iu New Zealand have not expressed themselves in favour of this drastic change, nevertheless, the Dairy Control Board has secured an Act of Parliament which it contends not only enables it to regulate shipments, lix rates of freight, etc., but to dictate to the dairy factories in New Zealand, proprietary and co-operative alike, to whom they shall send their produce, and furthermore, it claims the* right to fix the price to be paid for such produce. THE ACCTSIXG FIND Ell. All competition in selling on the I'nited Kingdom markets is to he finished with. The Dairy Control Hoard is going to lix prices trout day to day. and those linns who cannot make the prices fixed by this arbitrary commune will lie rapidly forced out e.l the business, as supplies will he withheld 'Tom them. ’I he English market is the only outlet lor dairy produce from New Zealand and Australia—close this market, and the dairy industry of the said Dominions is ruined. tile touted Kingdom is struggling under financial and economic burdens unprecedented in the history ol the country, and yet more butter and cheese is being imported than at any other period, and prices are heing paid for same alarmingly in advance ol 10 years ago. Not content with a tree market, not content- with high prices, the New Zealand Dairy Control Board has now installed itsell at the heart of the Empire with the object of forcing still Higher prices from the nnlortunnte con. sinner. There is a growing feeling in Now Zealand, even amongst, Hie dairy population, that untold harm to its dairy industry is likely to result from these methods of compulsion. Those who are wise will hesitate. The industrial population of this country will finally protect itself against plunder of such nature. The accusing linger of the National Food Council will assuredly swing round to the ‘controllers' of New Zealand butter.” The Imperial Food Journal remarks: “If is alleged in connection with the butter industry in New Zealand tnat certain producers in the Auckland province of the Dominion have endeavoured to obtain finance in London for the development of their undertaking, lint have been unable to do so.” The same paper also has the following paragraph :

“'I lie objects atid aims of the newlyIni lin'd New Zealand Dairy .Produce Control Hoard are expounded ollicially by the New Zealand Dairy I’rodttce Exporter, a monthly organ which is cirenintcd among all the thousands ol il.airy produce factories and stations ol the Dominion. It is understood that this cimilal ion is free, and the Dominion dairy nrialin ers at least have in ibis con licet inn a strong link with Heir new ‘control. - The journal obviously is not so well known in London, but it is nevertheless said to he strongly supported in certain sections of the trade at the cuisuming end.”