FARMERS’ MEETING

Hokitika Guardian, 29 January 1930, Page 4

FARMERS’ MEETING

The meeting called for at the Town! Hall last evening to .meet Mr W. A y lorns, Chairman of the New Zealand Dair Produce Board, with Air H. T. Chapman, the representative on the Board for this district, did not draw a large attendance, the weather no doubt militating against the patronage. Mr *V Bernard Ward, County Chairman, was voted to the chair, and introduced the speakers, extending to them a cordial welcome and wishing them a pleasant trip through the district. Mr Chapman spoke briefly expressing his pleasure at being present, and having induced the Chairman of the Board to come over and address them. He felt sure when they had- heard Mr ; lorns they would appreciate what wasp; ■ being done for the oairy producers. ’ Mr lorns spoke at considerable length oil the work of the Board, both here and in the United Kingdom. He explained that the Board had now been operating upwards of eight years, and devoted the closest attention to the interests of the producers, lh§ Board raised a levy of some from the producing factories, but the returns in Savings on freight, insur- > •an.ee and storage iu the matter of handling the pfo'duce,‘ exceeded £400,000. Some figures were quoted giving the relative savings to the district faetbries on the savings made as a

result of the Board functioning by reason ot the levy, and in eyery case a very substantial saving was effected. 1 Mr lorns spoke at .length on the handling of butter at Home, and m relation to storage and storage rates. He showed how the operations of the Board had resulted not .only in Minings, .but. also in n , maintaining the quality of Die produce,, by reason of a bettor : system, of handling the butter and cheese. He advocated strongly that the quality of the produce should be maintained. Quality counted very materially, and he referred specially to cheese. He advocated strongly, that the quality of the produce shouldLh lie maintained'. Quality counted very;--materiaUy, and he referred specially to cheese, and the defect which had been noted' in respect to it with age, and the scientific efforts being made to cope with.the matter. In that latter connection the Board was paying a special subsidy to M ( assey College for the investigation of, the cheese production and its delivery at Home in a condition of texture equal, to the rival comiilbdities. Regarding marketing and prices, Mr lorns' ' counselled against holding back for high prices, thereby bearing the market, and tending to drive buyers to the produce of other countries. He had found it was impossible to get

past'Supply aiid demand as the regulation of prices. Denmark realised that economic fact, and fed the market week' by week, irrespective pf prices. The consequence was that buyers - always rely on searing, Denmark butter at ruling rates, and the shops were never short of it, and never driven to take a substitute. Regarding the marketing of butter and cheese, the-, shipping problem was a great pile. New Zealand was so remote from the Lcrfc--' don market, that it was difficult in the extreme to regulate the arrival of supplies according to actual requirements. Shipping yvas often dislocated,' and Hie''boats were of varying speed. All "these < circumstances had to be taken into ‘account. There was also the fact that cargoes had to be arranged for- three months ahead, so that the difficulties in the way of regulating shipments and timing their arrival pn the market were quite extreme. The advertising scheme on which last year they spent some £20,C00 had been very helpful in enlarging the demand { for their produce. The quantity of pro- / •due© had increased four-fold in the last k ten years, so that the excess quantity 7 made the task of selling harder: Last .' year Canada took more butter than . New' Zealand used to export ten years \ ago. They also had to combat the rival butter from; the Continent. The Russian butter was not negligible now and Denmark was alw'ays in opposition. He spoke of the different systems of production, and the relative costs in feeding herds and facilities for production.. The special handicap against New Zealand was ; its long distance from the markets, and the freight rates ,involved. Regarding the increase in production locally and the necessity for .maintaining'quality, Mr lorns spoke of the need of herd-testing and he referred; to the advantage the of it. Personally he did not favour unduly high prices for their commo- 5

dity, as the rates tended to reduce- j demand. A good average price was the best all round, and he favourbdX meeting the market rate regularly so that the tastes of the public would not through short supplies be turned to* The produce of other countries ready to accept the ruling rates. Mr lor ns, who was givefi a very attentive heaing resumed his seat amid applause, and proceeded to answer a number of questions bearing mainly on the marketing of butter and cheese. At ■ the close of the questions, Mr W. A. Jamieson moved a vote of thanks to Mr lorns and Mr Chapman for their attendance and the information supplied, and a vote of con-fidence-in the work of the Dairy Produce Board. Mr H. T. Parry seconded the motion, which was supported ■ cordially by the Chairman. The speakers all referred to the amount of information gleaned from the address and to the useful work the Board was carrying on. The motion was carried “v unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Chairman, for presiding closed the proceedings.