The Daily News. TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 1922. PROMOTING DAIRYING INTERESTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 June 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 1922. PROMOTING DAIRYING INTERESTS.

The dairying industry, like most other industries, is dependent for success on the quality of the raw material, skill in manufacture, and expertness in marketing. It is now realised that if the best results are to be obtained from the raw material—the milk—that high butter-fat yielding cows of proved capacity must be used, and that scientific farming—the more intense the better—must be carried out so as to provide the herds with suitable food all the yeai’ round. It is the farmer’s business to attend to this part of the industry, to provide shelter for the stock, and to supply only the best milk, free from all taint, in order that the quality of the manufactured article shall be able to top the market, or at least be on equal terms with his competitors. Having wisely adopted the system of co-operation as regards dairy factories, the farmers’ next business is to select the best men available to manufacture their milk into butter or cheese, and the friendly rivalry that has been stimulated by the A. and P. Societies, together with the expert assistance of the officers of the Agricultural Department, have done much to raise the quality and condition of the articles for export. It is.generally admitted that the marketing end of the business leaves much to bo desired. The producers’ work is strenuous and almost continuous, and they are justly entitled to the fullest rewards for

their capital, enterprise, skill and toil. 'As a factor in the progress ; and prosperity of the Dominion. , dairying takes front rank. It re- i quired the pinch of greatly de- ; pressed prices to bring home to ‘ those engaged in the industry the I necessity for evolving as satisfac- ; tory an organisation for marketing as is needed in manufacturing. The institution of a meat pool with a compulsory clause to further the interests of the cattle nroducers. led to a project being j

brought forward for a similar scheme for dairy produce, but the compulsory proviso killed this latter scheme, as the South Island producers refused to be a. party thereto, and without the whole industry being comprised in that—or any other scheme having the same object—-success cannot be achieved. As was anticipated, the

subject of marketing dairy pro- ! duce formed an important feature | at the National Dairy Association’s conference at Palmerston North on Thursday, and the large ■ attendance was evidence of the great interest t .ken' in the problem. The solution suggested by South Island producers of holding monthly auctions might appear ; feasible on the surface, but it will i be found on examination to be more theoretical than practical.

The arguments used by Mr. Jerusalem (Kairanga) that if such

[sales were in operation the Do'minion’s produce would command better prices in the world’s markets, as instead of having buyers coming to New Zealand from half a dozen large firms, there would be dozens of representatives of smaller agents, co-operative societies and other dealers in dairy produce, thus bringing the producers into closer touch with the consumers, can hardly carry convicjtion. That it would multiply the 'number of middlemen is beyond i doubt. Such an army of buyers [would inevitably prove a severe [tax on the producers, for the reaison that their travelling expenses land their remuneration would all [have to be paid for indirectly by the producers, inasmuch as the I prices bid at the monthly auctions [would have to allow for these outI goings, as well as the general risk of a possible decline in the market value of the produce from month to month. If it would pay these agents and their principals to adopt this system, then it would handsomely pay the producers to do their own marketing. The only satisfactory point in the proposal is the selling of the produce according to grade, thus basing the value upon merit. It was also claimed that one of the advantages to the producers would be that they would know from month to month what their produce yielded, instead of waiting for some months for returns, but for sueh satisfaction as they could derive from that knowledge they would probably have to pay dearly, for these buyers would be out to make money for themselves rather than for the producers. It was further claimed that, for their own protection, the producers could fix reserve prices on their produce, and if not reached they could consign through the ordinary channels. It is hardly likely that, under sueh circumstances, buying agents would flock to the Domini ion to compete for supplies, only to find that the reserves foiled their purpose. The point is that the producers must either market for themselves or entrust their business to those in the trade. That is their problem, and it would seem the meeting acted wisely in deciding to refer back to the pool committee its report, with instructions to take into fuller consideration the question of establishing an improved system of marketing dairy produce.