DAIRY CONTROL ACT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4611, 8 October 1923, Page 3

DAIRY CONTROL ACT.

MEETINGS ON. THE PLAINS. .ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTED. The Dairy Produce Export Control -Bill is being enthusiastically supportfed on the Hauraki Plains. Meetings have been held at various places, and though some of them have been poorly attended, owing perhaps to the fact ■ that settlers had already exercised • their vote, many resolutions pledging support and = urging all dairy farmers to vote in favour of the Bill becoming • law, have been carried. Committees ■ were set up to remind all settlers to - exercise their vote. Speaking at Netherton on Thursday • evening Captain Colbeck, of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union, said, that all sane ■ farmers were supporting the measure, the objects of which could be summed up as follows:—To eliminate speculate in the marketing of NZ. pro■l iiuce; to link up with other primary producers in the formation of shipaping contracts; to regulate distribution on the Home markets; to open up new markets; and to advertise £ New Zealand dairy produce. : IRREGULARITY OF. SHIPMENTS’. \ The "crux of. the position, said the speaker/wasi. regularity of shipments. i In the 192’2-23 -season New Zealand : had shipped^, 392,606 boxes of butter /and 843,799,.crates of cheese.. The smallest monthly shipment was 10,368 'boxes of butter and 1,023 crates of cheese, and.the largest monthly shipment 386,516 boxes of butter and 186,075 crates pf cheese. Had the seasdn’s output been shipped in equal monthly lots there should have been 199,384 -boxes of butter and 70,316 ' crates of cheese, As it was, we shortshipped in one month 189,016 boxes of butter and 69,293 crates of. cheese, and overshipped in another month 187,132 boxes of butter and 115,759 crates pf cheese. This irregularity of supply caused violent fluctuation on the market, but under the existing state of the : industry it was impossible to do anything else. Each factory. ■ worked independently and realised on its product as quickly as possible. The pool, said Captain Colbeck, made the control of shipments possible by financing those companies which held back a portion of their product in the interest of the rest bt the producers. In past years half the season’s output had been shipped in the four summer months. Last this overloading of the market caused New Zealand butter to drop to 36/- per cwt. under, the Danish price and the season before to 56/-below.,, ■ PROBABLE SAVINGS. The Control Board, said Captain Colbeck, would be able to effect savingr In many ways, but particularly in freight, insurance, and by the elimination of the ■ speculator. The Meat- Control Board had effected a saving in freights of £575,006 in its first six months’ operations. It had been able to induce "the Port of London authority to reduce its charges for handling, storage, and dock dues. No reductions could be obtained by the dairy companies in, that period. Later? they had asked the Meat Control Board to act on their behalf, and this had been done with very satisfactory -results. A saving in insurance iwould be effected as the Bpard would follow the example of the Meat Board-and have Government inspectors ;to watch. the. handling of the butter and cheese from the freezer to the ships. It had been a common practice to‘ tip, butter and cheese off lorries and trucks on to the concrete wharves. They were then thrown on to nets, which, when hoisted, crushed the boxes. The nets had been so made that by pulling a rope they would open and drop the contents. It had been a regular practice to drop dairy produce the last twelve feet or so into the ship’s hold, with the result that the majority of the cases, were badly damaged. The system, of .Government inspection would eliminate this, and mean a great saving to the insurance companies, who were prepared to ■ give the ' producers the benefit.* r The speculator, continued the speaker, was . probably the greatest curse to the .industry. He made money by the fluctuations of the mar-fes-ket, and if this did not occur with ' ' sufficient regularity to suit his .purpose he had ways and means of making fluctuations. - The Pool would eliminate speculation by assuring regular supplies, by; only permitting reputable firms to -handle the produce, and by a system, of audit-trac-ing every box and crate from the producer to .the consumer. The control Board would also endeavour to have local railway freights reduced. The Meat Board had secured a reduction ■ in railage of 25 per cent., but this . concession had not been granted to - dairy produce. OPPOSITION TO THE BILL. 5 The opponents tiythe Bill had said ‘ that they would accept it provided ' tlm compulsory clauses were eliminat- , ’ ed. continued Captain Colbeck. The Bill was composed of. either- compulsory or machinery clauses. .Compulwas evident everywhere. A man took his milk or cream to the factory, and there his share ended. He had a : right to elect the directors, and that .■ was as far as his rights went at the present. Under the Control Bill the if individual would have the right to Y elect not only the factory directors, y but also the Control Boat'd, who would ■ have the handling of’the produce to London, and have influence on it until ' its ultimate sale to the consumer. The opposition to the Bill came from the merchants, the agents, and the speculators, and the fact that this was so should convince dairy producers how to vote- The speaker urg- . ed dairymen to sink all differences and show that for, once they were united. If the Bill was carried farmers would be on a better footing than Ythey had ever been before. It was "co-operation in its final and most important form.