CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1920, Page 11 (Supplement)

CORRESPONDENCE.

OUR "CO-OPERATIVE" SYSTEM, Sir,—lt is evident that the younger or Hie new arrival dairy fanner have never seen the evils under which tiie dairy industry existed during the days or proprietary concerns, and which forced dairymen 1o adopt tfe present system. They evidently do not understand what benefit the bulwark of our present system has been for the safeguard of tho producer, and tiie enormous lever that system would be for all if properly extended. If they ur.devstocd past struggles and the present disadvantages Instead of aggravating the latter by division amongst themselves there' would be no need to warn them of tiie danger there is of the break-up of the present co-operativo system. 1 do not wisli it inferred that I believe fbe present system is infallible. Far from it. and if those men who have been at the head of m.ii.'y concerns for years, and are looked upon as the leading lights, would only get t.. work to devise methods to satisfy the disgruntled ones, the progress of co-operation would' be rapid, and the avenue for the Introduction of proprietary concerns nnn-eilstei t. One of the main (if not the chief) troubles is bad roads. A man cannot with any degree of comfort or despatch bring "|(I0 or IOIIOIhs of mitk to a separating centre over one to three miles of mud. The industry has expanded, while our methods of reading and tho laws in regard to roadirg have stood still. Land has been stumped ard ploughed, etc., and increased production towards co-operative concerns lias been satisfied. There are many cases in the Inglewood district that I can allude to, not mentioning dozens in other tarts of the province. Of a consequence, as b.ul roads prevent the bulk of the material coming to the creamery, the farmer has to adopt l:ome separation, and from here the whole trouble starts. Creameries with reduced supply cannot pay, and must be closed, and a further boost given the outsider. I maintain that in the major part of the Inglewood district there is not the slightest need for home separation if the matter is attended to rightly. I am informed that iiulto recently nearly 100 persons, mostly tome separator mien, gathered together to have a jollification, and that It can he guaranteed that nil there were either supporting a proprietary concern (or were intending lo do so) dealing with dairymen's cream, and 1 am further informed that a little more Increase In supply will mean a branch of the main business being Initiated In the Inglewood district. If Interested people cannot see a huge danger in the above, well, It: beats me. With regard to the manufacture of casein, a lot of dissatisfaction exists but reasons for such are easily reckoned ■villi. Better means for tie home separation men to brink bulk to the creamery will mean a bigger support to casein, besides consolidating the ii.dustry. The dissatisfaction In regard to paying for casein per butter fat is also easily obliterated, while the erection of a drying plant, whereby dairymen get. all there is In the business, should be easily got over by the Individual supplier stepping in with his company. If the banks dpmatd different conditions to what previously existed, surely the individual, recognising the soundness of casein production, could take up personal risk per PS, to find the guarantee needed for tl:e proportion of cash insisted upon, the company, when formed and If working order, to lift the Individual's guarantee. The. action of. many supfliers m not supporting tho casein business (preferring calves and pigs) because of the faults enumerated Is not a fair attitude to those who recognise that, we are up against difflculles not of our own maklt g, and that: the near future, notwithstanding such difficulties, will mean tj stabilisation of casein manufacture. Then, of course, those who aie 1. angiug back, and by so doing preventing the real coi summation, w!.!l expect to step in and receive the benefits which the pioneers struggled for. I trust a method will, be devised whereby those who decline to support now will he penalised later on, and in justice no man can complain.

Then, again, the dissatisfaction as to testii g has sent many men to tho proprietary man. To give full satisfaction and thereby preserve and improve our co-operative dairy system, the Government should be asked to Initiate a service of independent testers as a check on factory managers (as somo argue) and surely there's notling difficult in putting such l!to. force, while it should be of real help -to the individual herds. Rightly or wrongly, this matter is quoted as one of tbo reasons of supplying away from co-operative concerns. The fact that shares in a cooperative concern cost each £1 or £1 ss, while if a man leaves one part of the district for .mother they are wortl- only what can he got by private sale'(sometimes Is each) is ;tiven as another reason why farmers will not re-enter co-operativo concerns, and this matter surely can also be obviated. The dissatisfaction in regard to management of dif.'rent factories, and evidenced by tho various prices given during pre-war times, and the differeit "pay-outs" from time to time, and which sent many .men to work on home separation, Is another matter which Is now used by the supporters of the proprietary concerns, There is only one method whereby this can be obviated, and dairjinien partly considered It a few months ago in confection with the.C.W.S. scheme, and to get. the fullest benefit, consolidating the factories in the Inglewood district would be the crux of the matter.

What has been done in regard to amalgamation in the Auckland district was showi. l in your columns last, week by the account of the Auckland Dairy Association's meeting. Reverting to tho main reason, unsuitable roads, it must be recognised that local bodies have unmetalled roads, or ends of roads, that are tapping sections which nowadays are leaving grazing for butter-fat production must see to i.t that a newer and quicker method is devised for providing metal roads. We have it jnit to « s that by tarcealln;; our main roads more money would be available for the by-roads, and such-like trashy arguments which the "by-road man" won't swallow, as ho war ts quicker means than these < such mythical methods suggest. I am quite aware that certain parts of Taranaki will be cited to controvert thp above but tho fact that in this district, and in the Taranakl County Council district, the menace of proprietary concerns to the co-operative industry is helped by the peculiar system of roadlng canot be gaii said, and real co-opera-tion in which the man on the metal helps the man on the mud, will solve the whole trouble. In justice to the latter, whose rales for years have up"kept the malp roads, let interested persons study the matter from the standpoint raised, and I venture to predict that the output of butter-fat' will so increase as to astorish the scoffer, and more contentment shown in every respect. We have in one part stood still while the other has expanded, and it is 110 use using the methods of 23 years ago to-day. We must periodically review slid- things, and I claim it is time now to review the dairying indusy ' else " <!mls s » "s it's co-operative aspect is recognised, (jive the mud-road men metal, and give it quick on newer conditions, lar-seallng our main roads for tourist benefit will not add one ounce of butter-fat, but opening up and metalling our by-roads wUI Deny it who can.—l am, etc., „ , 'IOE B. SIMPSON. Durham Boad,.Oct. 11, 192, o