SAVINGS AFFECTED BY CONTROL BOARDS

Shannon News, 19 December 1924, Page 1

SAVINGS AFFECTED BY CONTROL BOARDS

! Although we hear at times much 1 adverse criticism with regard to the | doings and undoings of of the New : Zealand Control Boards, it, musti be ! admitted by every impartial and uh- ! biassed observer, that, both th dairy produce and Meat Boards/have been the means of saving considerable: j sums of money to the primary -proj ducer of .the Dominion, j The savings affected by these Boards ; may be said to be of two. kinds—- ' direct and indirect. Direct savings are those that are made by the Boards entering into contracts for shipping, insuring and; storing of tfur produce, while indirect gains are made by bringing about improvements in the grading, distribution and marketing of our produce/' The Meat Board. The Meat Board/which is now-in its third, year of existence, has been able to make very satisfactory shipping contracts for the New Zealand meat 5 to Great Britain. The reduction in the annual freight bill is very considerable indeed, and although the whole of the savings- can by. no means be credited: to: the d°H ings of the Meat Board, a large amount thereof is certainly due to its existence. The latest shipping contract concluded* by the Board represents a saving of £IOO,OOO a year, as compared with rates ruling the previous'year, while the reductions on last year’s contract amounted to over i£500,000 when compared with the year before. *

Another important saving the Board was able to bring about is in connection with the handing charges at the port of discharge. By various efforts the Board succeeded in reducing the handling charges by approximately IQ/- per ton at the Port of London with even greater reductions at. the Ports of Liverpool and Manchester.

In addition to these savings the Board was instrumental in obtaining a 25 per cent, reduction from the New Zealand Hallway Department for ■cartage of frozen beef and live cattle as well as a reduction of charges made by freezing companies.

The indirect gains, although not of such a spectacular nature are nevertheless important to the industry. The Board has devoted much time ahd attention to the question of' grading New Zealand beef and. mutton, particularly New Zealand lamb. Frbm an irregular and haphazard method, the Board is evolving a standardised system of grading which, in due time, will no doubt receive the confidence of the Home buyers ha the'%ame way as is given to our butter and cheese;. In addition to the grading, the Board is giving particular attention to the problem of multiplicity of marks, loading and discharging of frozen meat, regulation of shipments, advertising and general marketing of out exportable’surplus of meat. Dairy Produce Board.

The dairy produce Control Board, although still in its infancy, will no doubt be in a position to render equal services to the producers of New Zealand. The freight contract entered Into by the Board will no doubt show a considerable saving on the previous latesl and insurance arrangements of recent date, were very favourably received by the producers. It is safe, to say that the direct savings affected by means of these two contracts are 'well over £IOO,OOO a year which for the first the year's existence of the Board is no mean saving. The Board has, no doubt, a number of improvements ready to introduce . and is simply marking time until the return of the overseas Delegation. There are a number of problems concerned with the dairy industry' of New; Zealand, which have been talked about for years and the solution of which is recognised as being essential to the welfare of the industry, and yet will never see the light of day until seriously tackled by an organisation with capital and authority behind it. There are still people who will praise and blame the Boards for every rise and fall in our primary produce, on the Home markets.

It is doubtful whether the members of the Boards claim /any credit or accept any blame for any such happenings. The Meat Board, from the very first day of its existence acted upon the principle of least interference with the existing channels of distribution and marketing. It tacitly accepted the fact that no Board could interfere with the natural law of supply and demand without accepting the fullest responsibility. It is very doubtful whether the dairy produce Board will ever venture out any further and what is even more doubt,ful, is whether it ever ishould.