DAIRY CONTROL BOARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 675, 29 May 1929, Page 7

DAIRY CONTROL BOARD

MEMBER EXPRESSES HIS DISAPPOINTMENT PAST SERVICE CRITICISED Disappointment with the course at present being taken by the Dairy Control Board was voiced by a member of the board, Mr. W. Grounds, who presided at the annual North Auckland Dairy Conference yesterday. The discussion followed the consideration of a remit from the Northern Wairoa Dairy Company, “that the conference discuss the advisability ot recommending the Dairy Control Board to reduce the amount of its levy.” ■ . . Mr. J. IT. Stubbs (Northern Wairoa) said his company had paid over £6OO to the Dairy Control Board last year. It was not hostile to the board, but it considered that the board was not carrying out the service for which it was intended. , ■ Mr. F. E. Cullen (Maungaturoto) said the board was only carrying out a limited amount of good work compared with wliat they hoped it would. His company was not antagonistic toward it, as it realised a service to the industry was being given. Mr. Grounds said that last year the levy totalled £33,300, and this year, owing to increased production, the levy would probably realise £37,000. A total of £IO,OO was spent in London last year, although this included part of the money spent under the system of control subsequently abandoned. The chief New Zealand office cost about £8,300 last year, actual board expenses totalling £ 4,500 and the Exporter £3,346. The board also voted £3,500 for research work, which would be a definite charge .upon its income. The president ' continued that he would be sorry to see the conference pass a resolution asking for a reduced levy at the present time. It would give him great pleasure if the board could be stimulated to undertake duties it intended to perform when it was established. The secretary to the board, Mr. T. C. Brash, appealed to the conference for a wider view of dairying problems. The farmers, he said, should give every support to the national organisation. As the industry grew, the danger of the national organisation breaking up into sections would increase. It was only by adopting- a broad outlook that farmers could hope to secure mutual assistance.

Mr. Stubbs said that he did not think, in view of what had been said,, that the levy should be reduced. The discussion had made clear the difficulties of the board.

Consequently no resolution was placed before the conference. |