The Daily News MONDAY, MARCH 27, 1905. A PRESSING NEED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 781, 27 March 1905, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, MARCH 27, 1905. A PRESSING NEED.

jThc rapid and successful develop-

mcnt of the dairy indusirv in this colony has caused a large number of hard-working people to engage in what has proved itself to be a profitable occupation. Jt must not, however, be forgotten thai the seeds of success were sown at u time when the money market was o.isy, and thus a large number of people, whose only capital consisted of health and strength, coupled with Jn-ergy, were '■• financed" with the wherewithal to become suppliers to the numerous factories which are now 1 to be found throughout Taranaki. The inevitable consiliences of good prices for the butler produced was to cause a boom in the price of land. A natural and sfeadv enhancement of value would be legitimately expected, but an undue, inflation, even under most favourable circumstances, was certain to entail, ultimately, more or less disaster. Thanks to the scicntil'c methods adopted in butter factories, the output has hitherto met, and will doubtless- continue to meet, with the reward of excellent prices. Yet so heavily are the non-capitalist producers handicapped at the best of times that the drop of even a fraction of a penny per pound makes the difference between a comfortable living and a struggle to make both ends meet. If this is so in good times, how much the more does it apply when money is scarce and the price of stock is low. Needless to say, the shoe pinches badly, and the worse the pain grows the'more difficult the remedy becomes. This state of -affairs naturally entails many sacrifices, and not, infrequently the struggling, hard-working "cockatoo" has to go under. When times art good he could always rely on a little temporary help from those who put him on his feet in tlie lirst instance, but when the banks put the screw on the straggler is the fust to feel the pressure. The chief factor in the success of the dairy industry to-day is that of co-opera-tion. It took a long while to successfully demonstrate this principle to the conservative class which is to bo found amongst farmers, but at length it has asserted itself beyond all question, and co-operative factories predominate. This is as it should be, yet the principle is onl.\ in vogue at its first stage, and is practically crying out to be extended to its logical conclusion. Our dairy farmers and factory managers have shown to the world at large, and especially to bu.vfirs on the English markets that they can produce a first rate article, worthv of top prices. The question that is now all important if, how to make the best use of the principle which has brought matters so Jar on the right road. Meetings have recently been held at Ilawcra and Stratford to consider the nil important matter of the minimum price to be accepted. Whether or no'i any appreciable benefit will result from the decisions arrived at is a matter of doubt. One point is patent to all interested in the matter, and that is the existence of a fluctuating difference between the price received by the producer and that paid by the ultimate purchaser. According to the number of interveners who from first to last Jiika their little profit out of the produce, so does this margin differ, and by (hat much is the producer the poorer. JJow this is to l:e avoided has furnished much food for consideration, the object in view being to secure for the prodi <• or tin.- full benefit of his toil an. capital. Apparently, 'there is, onl. one way jn which this- trnn be done, and that, is by applying- to the important business of distribution the same principle and ability which has lirouglit production to such perfection. The idea is by no means a new one, and has in fact been so much discussed that by this time it should not only have been an accomplished fact, but should have been justified by the result of its application. Our settlers have obtained a well-deserved reputation as producers, largely congruent on adopting co-operation. They have trusted men of their own choice to manage the details of butter and cheese making, and have profited by their confidence. The next step (and it is one that, if present circumstances continue, will have to bo faced) is to prove in the same wav their ability as distributors, thercibv obluining the full profit for their goods. Admittedly, the project is bold, but devoid of all rashness. What the proprietors of meat export establishments can accomplish, surely will not lie, beyond the power of representatives of dairymen. \'o more striking illustration of the | right course to pursue can he found than that now adopbed with regard to the distribution of frozen moat. It was forced on the exporters by the action of the middlemen on the Home markets, and has resulted In a handsome addition to the exporters' profits-. To enserc complete success in the distribution of dairy produce there tthould be a co-opera-tion by producers throughojil (,he colony, but if this cannot be obtained their operations might be restricted at first lo (he North Tsland, it being most probable that ore long the organisation would embrace the whole colony. It is abundantly evident that action of some kind must be taken lo enable the producer to get every possible farthing and fraction of a farthing for his output, and no way appears more likely to accomplish this end than that indicated above.