DAIRYMEN IN CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 June 1921, Page 8

DAIRYMEN IN CONFERENCE.

ANNUAL meeting of nda. The annual rr. -ting of t.!»? National Dairy Association was continued on • cdneaday, when a number of important matters were dealt with. SERVING AN APPRENTICESHIP. Mr. Buchanan asked support for a resolution passed at the South Auckland I conference to the following effect: “That this meeting of dairy producers recomnields associated companies, when dealing with any workers’ award, to arrange for the employment of apprentices, who shall serve for live years, and thereafter pass an examination to be set bv the Dairy Division, which shall qualify him as a factory manager.’’ In speaking to the motion, he said that the Auckland province was working under an award, and the South Auckland Dairy Conference had decided to endeavor to arrange for apprentices, with a view to having butter and cheese factory managers -in the future. The high rate of wages had attracted a large number of casuals, who would not stick to the industry, and there was likely to Be a dearth of managers in the future. When applying for factory managers it was generally found that they could get butter-makers or cheese-makers, but they could not get men skilled in the art of factory managership. It was with the idea <bf overcoming this that the move was made. Mr. Palmer (Kairanga) seconded. Mr. Moss (Ekertah'inai considered that ft was a matter which required deep consideration to see how it would affect the whole of the industry. It might suit large factories to have apprentices who could be taught the whole business, including engineering and accountancy, but rt would penalise small factories. Personally he thought that with the advent of machinery the tendency was to do away with apprenticeship. Gn a division the resolution was lost. IMPROVING CONDITIONS. Mr. Dalgyuple (Rangitikei) moved that the conference recommend? the executive of the National Dairy Association to inquire into the working of the Cream and Milk Testing Act of Canada, and bring down a recommendation to the next annual meeting if thought advisable.

Mr. Hansen seconded. Mr. Brash said that he had written to Mr. Ruddick for two copies of the Act. It was put into force not as a police measure, but as an educative measure. Inspectors were appointed by the Government, who had the right to test against the manager, and it was made a criminal offence to empty sample I bottles within five days of making the ' test. There had been some prosecu- ; ttons under the Act. It would help ' managers to correctly read the test. Mr. j Roddick’s opinion was that it would be • a ?ood thing. The difficulty was not; so much with proprietary concerns competing against co-op. concerns, but with co-op. concerns competing against each other in a desire to have a better payout. and =o aitract additional supply. He knew of instance? where managers had hern asked to under-read the test. He did not thinje they would ever get the Government to undertake al! testing, but this xrould arrive very close to that, as managers would bo very careful if they knew their test was liable to be checked by an official of that kind. Mr. J. S. Connett thought that the National Dairy Association should keep in touch ’ with the industry in other countries, and be prepared to give a lead. He briefly touched on the advisability of having schools of research in New Zealand, where research work in connection with the industry could be carried out. At present the only authorities they had to work on were American, and though these might be right under American conditions, they wanted records made under New Zealand conditions. The necessity for this could be proved by referehce to the annual reports of dairy factories. Many of the results there would beat Van Slight. He would not say they were not correct, because the conditions here were not the same as obtained in America.! and it was not a fair thing to take re- i cords there as applying to New Zealand. The resolution was carried. REPRESENTATION IN LONDON. 'The conference enthusiastically carried a vote of appreciation of the work done by Mr. Brash on behalf of the producers while in London. Mr. Buchanan, the mover of the resolution, stated that as a direct outcome of the information forwarded by him dairy companies in New Zealand had benefited to the extent of over £1,000,000. Mr. Sinclair (Opotiki), in seconding, said that as a result of the efforts of Mr. Brash and Sir Thos. McKenzie the New Zealand producers had received 280 s instead of 240 s for their butter. Mr. Brash, in replying, paid a tribute to the work of Sir Thos. McKenzie, who had been a stalwart on behalf of the producers. He considered that Canada had done better because they had dealt over the table. New Zealand was too far away, and-it would have been better if they had sent a committee to deal with the Imperial Government, or asked them to send a commission out to New Zealand. M-. Marx asked whether any effort had been made To obtain the services of Sir Thos. McKenzie for the producers of New Zealand. He wouid move that it be a recommendation to the executive to consider the matter. Sir Thos, McKenzie. if available, wouid be of exceptional valfle to the producers. Mr. J. R. Corrigan understood he had been approached by the produce committee in the South Island to represent them in London The chairman said that there had been a strong feeling expressed by the producers’ committee that the time was opportune for the appointment of a direct representative of the producers in the United Kingdom and Sir. Thomas McKenzie had been mentioned. There was, of course, the question of funds to consider. The matter had not been lost sight of, and if any tangible steps were taken Sir Thomas McKenzie would probab’y be approached. GENERAL. After some discussion, it was resolved to continue the publication of the pamphlet giving a report of the proceedings on which there had been a considerable loss last year. Gn the motion of Mr. Marx it was de- . cided that it be a recommendation to the- executive to ask the Government to instruct the High Commissioner to cable the prices for dairy produce per ship as used to be the case in pre-war days. The mover said this would facilitate /pattcgß Jgithi cojnpaoies. in p&yiM £!&

if they knew what their produce by certain ships had brought. Tt'was resolved to pay the chairman of directors and :he directors the same honorarium as last year.