POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 178, 7 November 1910, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

DAIRY INDUSTRY ACT. A question recently put in the House by Mr. Okey, M.P. for Taranaki. to the Minister for Agriculture was as to whether he will amend the Dairy Industry Act to provide that in all cases dealing with the carrying out of the Act, the person charged with an offence, may call evidence in defence, so that the magistrate hearing the case will have power to give a decision on the evidence brought before him, and not be bound by the will of the inspector. "The matter will be considered whenever the Act is being amended," replied the Minister. SHIPMENT OF DAIRY PRODUCE. Some days ago Mr. Okey, M.P. for Taranaki, asked the Minister for Agriculture whether lie could so arrange with the shipping companies that regular weekly shipments of dairy produce should leave the Dominion during the busiest months of the year, so as to insure a steady delivery of produce at the Home end.

The Hon. T. Mackenzie replied last week that the shipping contracts for the carriage of dairy produce to the London market are made between the national dairy associations (which represent the dairy companies) and the Shaw, Savill and Albion and New Zealand Shipping companies, and the present contract does not expire until the year 1914. Provision has been made, however, whereby the difficulties formerly experienced in connection with big cargoes coming forward in the busiest months of the year, will be overcome, and this includes weekly shipments when necessary. At no time has there been any serious delay in forwarding regular shipments of butter; but, owing to the rapid growth of the cheese industry, it was not always possible to dispatch the whole of the produce coming forward by the regular fortnightly steamers. This, however, is not expected to occur in the future.