Two Voices Speaking for Dairy Industry?

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 42, 19 February 1937, Page 9

Two Voices Speaking for Dairy Industry?

FEDERATION AND DAIRY BOARD. Matters in regard to the National Dairy Federation were discussed by the executive of the Manawatu and West Coast Dairy Companies’ Association at a meeting in Palmerston North yesterday, when Mr A. Morton, of Egmont Village, chairman of the federation, explained the objects of the latter body and stressed the desirability of the Association linking up.. There were present at the meeting Messrs S. A Broadbelt (Levin, chairman), G. H. Stiles (Shannon), J. Boyce (Tui, Glen Oroua), J. R. Whyte (Tokomaru), R. Craig (Oroua Downs), S. E. Algar (Taikorea), and P. Hansen (Awahuri). Mr Morton outlined tne aims of the federation and stated that 130 dairy companies aad already joined up. It was hoped to make the body as strong as possible, so that it would be able to speak with.% authority on behalf of the dairy industry. District associations were invited to link up with the federation and give added strength. Mr Boyce expressed the view that the federation would be duplicating the work of the Dairy Board. He ques tioned whether the federation could do anything that the board couldn’t. Mr Morton replied that the board’s powers had been considerably curtailed. He thought it would be a pity it the board were to go out of existence. Mr Boyce suggested that costs were being unnecessarily duplicated, and ho wondered how much longer the ‘ 1 poor old cow” could stand the burden that was bfcing placed on her. Mr Morton said the membership subscription to the federation amounted to only one, two, or three guineas, which could hardly be described as a handicap to the industry. Mr Craig asked whether an expression of the views of the industry could not be just as easily obtained at the various Dairy Board ward conferences. Like Mr Boyce, he thought that unnecessary duplication would result. The Minister, stated Mr. Morton, ha<l indicated that he would listen to representations from the federation. Federation conferences would be much more representative than Dairy Board conferences. Mr Hansen said it was better to havo two or three hundred delegates at a conference than, say, fifty. Mr Craig thought more business was done with smaller numbers. Mr Algar suggested that if the Association linked up with the federation it would lose members and would eventually have to go out of existence. Mr Craig: I think the same as Mr Algar. Mr Morton said that companies were not being asked to pay any more than they did prior to the reconstruction of the N.D.A. Following Mr Morton’s retirement, the executive decided to hold the matter over till its next meeting. It was decided to send as a remit to the Dairy Board ward conference a suggestion that the premium as between butter and cheese should be increased to 2d for next season, to enable the supply to cheese factories to be maintained. Advice was received from the Min ister of Labour (Hon. 11. T. Armstrong) that the Association’s representation that the half-holiday for dairy farm workers should bo from 9 a.m. to 4 pan. instead of being from noon onward, had already been given very careful thought. After considering the matter very carefully from many viewpoints, the Minister saw no reason to recommend any alteration to the law. The chairman expressed the view that the Association should keep ing away on the subject. Perhaps a deputation could be sent to the Minister. After discussion, the executive decided. to forward a remit to the Dairy Board expressing its views.