CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 May 1922, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE DAIRY POOL. (To the Editor.) Sir,—ln view of the proposed compulsory dairy pool and its doubtful benefits, 1 have made some enquiries into the previous opinions and views of those who are now pushing it. The result of this research wore is given below.—l am, etc., A. COOKIE. “GEMS FROM THE PAMPHLET.” Words of wisdom culled from the official report of the debate on the Co-opera-tive Marketing Scheme at Palmerston North, A.D. 1920. (Extracted and Reviewed by A Cockie.) The debate was opened by Mr. A. Morton, who, after explaining the marketing scheme and the proposed constitution of the Board of Control, said: “That board of control, once the price has been fixed by the committee on which the N.Z. producers have a majority, should then sell the produce which is placed in their hands at the price fixed by the committee. A certain percentage should be charged for the selling of that produce, and any surplus over and above tie actual cost of selling it and the percentage deducted should be divided equally between the two shareholding members, the N.Z. Company and the Co-operative Wholesale Society, thus making a purely co-operative marketing scheme, in which the interests of both were alike, but in wfliid the fixing of the price of the product rested with the owners of the produce.”

Why is Mr. Morten now advocating a fresh plan of campaign, and what can be better, simpler or more profitable than a selling scheme in which the vendor fixes the price? Mr. Ellison : “These people (the C.W.S.) l ave gone s® fur as to say they are practically prepared to give you the right of fixing prices for your own produce at Home.” Later he says: “I feel ttat it would be more or less a calamity to the dairy industry of this country if you allow a unique opportunity like this to pass without taking advantage of the offer that has been made to you.” Mr. Harkness, referring to the London merchants, said: “We lave come to this position, that those of us engaged in this business, •without bias and without prejudice, have tried these gentlemen in the past and have found Them wanting.” Mr. MacFarlane on finance: "You woulrt teach the banks the same lesson that you are going to teach Tooley Street.” Soots wk ha’e. 1 c»u, in iniagiaatlon, mo

Tooley Street reeling under the claymore of the MacFarlane. Mr. Ffear: “It appears to me that the time has arrived when we should take the matter in our own hands, establish our own distributing centres, and do away with an profiteers.” A voice: “Hang them all. Mr. Fear: Yes, absolutely.” Mr. Forsyth: “While at Home recently, in the company of Mr. Murdock, we met many exporters and wl olesalers connected with the business at the other end. We felt, alter carefully looking into the matter, that our produce was passing through too many hands.” After continuing in this strain for some time, Mr. Forsyth wanmed to his work, and delivered himself of the following epic: “Wt.en you get Into grips with an opponent, and get him down, you get your knee on his neck, and he begins to howl blue murder. You then begin to realise he is being hurt. Therefore, gentlemen, we can congratulate ourselves on the fact that the scheme we have to place before you is a strong 'one." Mr. Murdock, after a yes-no sort of speed), concluded by saying: “Gentlemen, I hope the proposal will be carried into effect” Did Mr. Murdock have tms scheme in bls mind when he publidy stated at Hawera that he would not be surprised to see butter-fut rise to 5s per lb? The Hon. Mr. Gow: “The whole unatter hae been considered. I will not condescend to details as to finance and so forth. Being a politician, the Hon. Mr. Gow naturally would not be bothered about trifles such as finance. Mr. Moss: “The representatives of the CW. Society are out to help their fellow men an* have an ideal in life otter than that of making themselves rich. They are men of high character, and I would sooner balieve that Tooley Street would rob you than that the Co-operative Wholesale Society wou : .L” (Applause). To this rhapsody. A Cockie can only exclaifn: “Oh, I say.” Mr. Davies: “We have heard a devil of n lot about profits, and I would like to know if there are going to be any profits. If there are" I am going to recommend my company to go in for the scheme.” Probably Mr. Morton can now answer Mr. Davies’ query.