DAIRY PRODUCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1922, Page 8

DAIRY PRODUCE.

CONTROL BOARD PROPOSAL. TARANAKI’S ATTITUDE, OPPOSITION ON THE COAST. A meeting, to which each dairy factory in the Dominion has been invited to send a delegate, will be held in Wellington on Thursday for the purpose of considering a proposal to set up a control board for dairy produce on similar lines to the meat control board. “What attitude is Taranaki taking up in regard to the proposal?” was a question put to a gentleman in close touch with the dairy industry in the province by a Daily News reporter yesterday. He replied that a great many dairy com- < panies in the province were’ not sending representatives to the meeting, whilst other companies were sending delegates with the main purpose of obtaining full details of the scheme, so that these particulars could first be submitted to jthe companies. In the absence of this information companies did not feel disposed to send delegates to Wellington with power to act. It had been stated that the proposed control board for dairy produce would be similar to the meat control board, but it was pointed out by our informant that this gave no clear indication of the nature of the scheme as dairying men were not as a rule conversant with the meat regulations. It is understood that while the delegates are in Wellington an important conference will take plaee between chairmen of cheese companies and officers of the Agricultural Department in reference to the manufacture of skimmed milk cheese. A meeting of the directors of various local dairy companies was held at Opunake yesterday in connection with the proposed dairy board of control. There were thirty-one present, including directors from Cape Egmont. Rahotu, Oaonui, Opua Road, Pihama, Kahui Road and Opunake factories. Mr. M. Fleming was voted to the chair. On the motion of Messrs. E. Maxwell and Green the following resolution was carried: “As representing a very large number of producers in the Taranaki industry, this meeting views with great distrust the endeavor being made in certain quarters to get control of the export dairy produce of the Dominion, and the meeting appeals to the Government to protect them and other farmers by refusing assent or countenancing of the present or any endeavor to place their produce under control. The meeting also protests against the measures that are being adopted. The grounds of objection and protest are as follows: “1. Producers desire freedom of action and are absolutely opposed to compulsion, and they are satisfied that the formation of a pool or control board, even without legislative compulsion, will inevitably lead in practice to compulsion. “2. That there is at present established National Dairy Association and marketing companies, etc., and there is no warrant for imposing still further strains on the pockets of producers. “3. That in any case whatever merits the present scheme may have the producers protest against the extremely improper course now being adopted by the promoters in endeavoring, after assurance that the full scheme had been abandoned, to hurriedly rush through a scheme which undoubtedly has the same object, although under a different name, and the meeting particularly protests against what amounts to a pretence, that the full views of the producers is being obtained, when it is not the case. The scheme has suddenly been brought forward at a time, under circumstances, and under a time limit which the promoters know perfectly well that it makes it impossible for all but a very small minority to have any views in the matter.

“The notice of the meeting to be held in Wellington should have given sufficient time so that it should reach all factories throughout the Dominion and have left time for a meeting of directors to have been called to consider the matter, and appoint delegates and for the delegates to get to Wellington in time, and also the conference should have been held at a time of the year that it would have been possible for representatives to attend. Instead of such a course being followed, the facts are that the notices are dated ‘August 31’ and a conference called for September 14. Some of the factories received their notice on the 6th and 7th of September; others have not yet received any. In the time left it is, in many cases, quite impossible, even for those companies that have received notices, to hold meetings of directors to appoint delegates, as that at this time of the year when herds are just coming in it is practically impossible for more than a very small minority to get away. For these reasons the calling of the conference in Wellington is nothing less than farcical, and this meeting is satisfied that any decision arrived at at the conference can only amount to the views of the pool promoters, the committee set up for the pool, and a few whose enthusiastic support will take them there at any cost, and that it would be most unjust that it should be taken as representing the desires of the producers generally.” Copies of this resolution are to be forwarded to the Prime Minister, Mr. T, M. Wilford and others.