MARKETING OUR PRODUCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1920, Page 7

MARKETING OUR PRODUCE.

PHILIP SKOGLUND. Stratford, June 5, 1820.

* To the Editor. Sir,—Probably In common with some thousands of other dalrjvnen, I hare to-dfly received from Mr. E. Maxwell, of Opunake, a letter referring to the new dairy produce marketing scheme now being promoted by the National Dairy Association, and the representatives of the Co-operative Wholesale Society. Mr. Maxwell appends an extract fiom the Hawera Star, and a circular headed "Views of those who have had experience in the marketing of dairy produce." A feature of the latter production is the conspicuous absence of signatures, or even, an Im. print. Mr. Maxwell pleads for a fuller examination and discussion of the scheme, and by way of giving practical effect to his argument, I now offer some of my views. Jfr Maxwell's objection 10 the exclusion of the Press from the New Plymouth meeting will receive strong support from tho rank and file of dairy factory directors and suppliers. The procedure at New Plymouth was no isolated instanco, but was characteristic of the present management of tho N.D.A., as witness the proceedings which terminated in the last unfortunate sale of butter to the Imperial Government. A host of men like myself, whose livelihood is bound up in tho dairying business, are getting exceedingly tired of the system which gives carte blanche to a very few indifferently representative executive gentlemen la Wellington. This system seems to bo largely a creation of Mr. Morton's own, for similarly, at a recent Mangorel Dairy Co. meeting, called at short notice, and lasting only a couple of hours or so, a dried milk proposition, Involving an expenditure of £IO,OOO or more, was put through on the l voices, and with a totally Inadequate comprehension of the scheme by the suppliers present. On these premises, I oiler the opinion (hat the present management of Now Zealand's dairy Industry calls for radical alteration. At the New Plymouth meeting, our marketing system of the past was severely criticised by people most Intimately eoncorned in It, mid tho statement referring to hidden commissions, superfluous brokerages, etc., ate not yet denied either by Mr. Maxwell or the anonymous authors of the "views ot experienced marketers." It is therefore a fair inference that theso evils have really elated, and, presumably, will continue to exist until effectively dealt with. Mr. Maxwell has referred with quite un-called-for sarcasm to the C.W.G.'s £80.000,000 capital, 12,000 shops, etc., and as this is a simple matter of established and obvious fact, I think his argument would be much improved if he maintained a position down In the region of the "brass backs." It is quite patent thpt the new marketing scheme Is a very hazy and skeleton Affair, and readily suggests that the N.Z. dairying executive officers are preparing to fill in a mass of most important details entirely according to their own sweet fancies, and without much fur* th « r consultation of the Tank and file. I think these methods are now obsolescent and persistence in that direction will not achieve success.

Coming now to the views of the "experienced marketers," I muat express regret at seeing Mr. Maxwell's very rational cose In such dqblous company. The "experienced marketers have absolutely nothing to say In favor of the C.WQ., which, In Itself, Is tuaclent to mako their arguments suspect. Their ease must necessarily be inspired by a very human desire to protect and maintain ♦2 %? owa P fl , vnte middleman's profits, and the New Zealand dairyman will have too much sympathy for himself to spare much for J™* 7ieWß are 80 reeking with Was, S-JS?® , ref ? r ?nces to socialistic labor unions y intended to create a scare, that eruioam in detail of their effusion la Quite unnecessary. In eonchislOD, I may say that Mr. Maxwell's alternative scheme does not strike me as paTticuiajly promising, but I would like to point out that by effecting a change of blood ana system in the dairying executive officers, ♦i.s« ea f? Qa M 5r ca * anti complete considers- „ schemes which may be v future might with some con--522!5. ,??•?•*• change to ' or ln tho ad.ulnJstratloa of companies, there being a widely sustained cry for younger blood, less secrecy, and more progress.—l am, etc., Egnwut Village, 4th Jnae^im^™ 5 '