CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 May 1922, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

DAIRY PRODUCE POOL (To the Editor.) Sir,—While listening to Mr. Goodfellow when he recently addressed a meeting of factory directors in the Workers’ Hall anent the above, I was very much astonished to learn by what devious and haphazard ways our produce is placed on the Home market, and was favorably impressed by the scheme as outlined by the conveners of the meeting for a properly organised system of marketing undbr the control of the producers. Mr. Goodfellow emphasised the fact that the men of Tooley Street have brains, business ability acquired by long experience, and unlimited capital. Sure thing; could a stronger argument be advanced In favor of a pool? It would seem that some thirty years ago, or at the inception of the dairying industry,' the farmers had sufficient brains to conceive afid build up a cooperative factory system, which has given excellent results, and incidentally formed the basis of this unlimited Tooley Street combination. Under this co-operative system of manufacturing an ever-increasing quantity of guaranteed high quality dairy produce has been produced. Unfortunately this system does not extend beyond the factory door, from whence our butter and cheese Is launched, on the current of chance, to reach tire world’s market. This is where thp man of brains takes a hand. Long experience has given him an Intimate knowledge of this current, its eddies and backwaters, but that knowledge is not for sale. While the farmer has been devoting the whole of his energies to producing the last ' and best pound of butter-fat, the brainy merchant has been devoting his best energies t) getting the last penny out of it, hence the result—he has unlimited capital—we have not. What most concerns the average director Is the question as to whether or pot our produce gets a fair passage after it loaves the factory door until it reaches the consumer. The extreme fluctuation in prices during this season has strengthened an impression in their minds that it does not, to a certainty. Mr. Goodfellow also answered this question most emphatically in the negative. The only logical conclusion to be arrived at is that, in selfdefence, the farmers must extend their co-op-erative methods and provide satisfactory pilotage for their produce until it reaches the approved channels of distribution, keeping it out of the hands of the speculator, and eliminating the weak holder and so stabilise the market price on a fair and equitable basis. We only ask for a fair deal, and this we must have if ! farmers are to be able to pay their way and ' New Zealand continue to prosper as a producing country. Trusting every dairy producer will get behind tills proposed scheme and do his utmost to make it a workable proposition. —I am, etc., “FACTORY DIRECTOR.”