THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1922. MR. GOODFELLOW’S DUTIES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4419, 26 May 1922, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY. FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1922. MR. GOODFELLOW’S DUTIES.

One of ■ the drawbacks of the average farmer is that his comparatively isolated position prevents him from acquiring the same degree of familiarity with the ’ management of businesses that the proprietor of a concern in a town enjoys, though there are many exceptions to the rule. As a consequence, a farmer will often make a demand m a busimess 'or management proposition which a townsman would not dream of putting forward. For example, we yvere present some two or three years ago at ad annual meeting of suppliers of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., and the old N.Z. Dairy Association, at Hamilton, at the time of the amalgamation. All sorts of minor matters that were quite out of keeping with the main objects of the meeting were dragged in; and yet, when Mr. G. P. Ewing, one of the original directors of the old N.Z. Dairy Association, who served twelve years on the directorate, asked a question about the purchase of butter by the Imperial Government, a raucous voice demanded to know what the ‘‘something” the companies had to do with the Imperial Government. The interrupter was evidently unaware of,the fact that the Imperial Government was the greatest, and practically the sole purchaser of the companies’ output at the time, and he seemed to think that the tin-pot question of whether or not a milkcan stand should be erected on “Puketitri” road was vastly more important than a discussion in reference to purchases of butter that might possibly run into about four million sterling rin value! That was an extreme case of an utter lack of a sense of proportion, of a mania for the microscope and a contempt of the far-reaching telescope, but it was typical of the stunted vision of a considerable number of suppliers in that district at the timeThe logic of events has opened the eyes of i the purblind ones somewhat, but there is §till room for broadening the outlook and

the acquisition of at least an elementary sense of proportion. For example, in some districts the suppliers seem to think that Mr. W. Goodfellow, managing director of the N.Z. Co-operative Dairy Company, Ltd., should personally visit any and every settlement when a grievance, real or imagined, arises. If Mr. Goodfellow, or any other man who was executive head of a business having a turnover valued at four millions sterling annually, were to accede to such requests, the concern would soon to the demnition bow-wows” for lack of close attention to the major matters of policy and finance. No man can handle highly complicated and important issues with breadth, depth, and capability if his mind is clouded with a lot of pettifogging detail. In no other spheie of business is the manager of a great trading company expected to visit even the branch offices more than about once a year, much less to trayei to scores of places addressing three or four meetings a day once or twice a year, with several irregular trips in between. Lacking even a rudimentary acquaintance with real business and high finance, the average-supplier has not the ghost of an idea of the concentration of thought and personal attention required for the successful conduct of the finance, sales-management, and policy-direction of the largest dairy company in the world ; if he had, he would strenuously insist that the managing director of the Company should spend a few hours daily at the headquarters supervising the work there, leaving the rest of his time free for attention to the larger issues, plus something for the recreation which is essential to the keeping of the mind fresh And the body fit to stand the strain of such great responsibilities without loss of personal efficiency. These things are matters of evolution, which is a slow process, but the education will come in time, and then only matters of major import will be allowed discussion at annual meetings, and. managing directors will not be permitted to waste their time and talents in attending to minor matters which capable assistant officials could see to equally well. We are fully aware of the fact that this article will be unpalatable to many of our readers, but our policy has always been to state the truth as we see it, within the bounds of the libel lgw and tjie dictates of decency. A newspaper that shirks its duty for fear of causing unpleasantness, or even hostility, is a poor friend to the community it professes to serve. If the suppliers take this article to heart in the spirit in which it is written, they will in the fulness of time appreciate the fact that the observations made herein are directed to the furtherance of their material interests, and the raising of the dignity of their deliberations.