The Daily News SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1922. DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1922, Page 4

The Daily News SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1922. DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL.

By an almost unanimous vote, the largely attended conference of representatives of dairy factories that met at Wellington on Thursday favored legislation to give the producers control of the shipment and marketing of dairy produce. Though many factories—some being in the Taranaki district—were not represented, the resolution must be regarded as a definite expression, of opinion of the dairy industry, and upon it the Government will no doubt act. Mr. Nosworthy put the position to the meeting in these terms: “It is for you to say whether you want legislation to put farmers into the position of talking to Tooley Street instead of Tooley Street talking to you,” and he indulged in some pretty straightout talking, which, judging by our special reporter’s report, spurred the delegates to action. At the same time, we do not think Mr. Nosworthy was altogether fair in his castigation of the chairman of the Stratford Company because he admitted some representatives were not in a position to commit their companies to the proposed pool. Nor was the meeting fair to another Taranaki representative, Mr. Gibson, of Rahotu, who, because he opposed the scheme, was “counted out-” Criticism of a proposal fraught with such importance to the whole dairying industry should be invited, not burked. Obviously it is difficult to obtain complete unity on a matter where there is such a lack of detail. It ■was, of course, the same with the Meat Pool scheme. A good deal has to he taken on trust, and reliance placed on the judgment and good sense of those to be entrusted with the carrying out of the scheme. Unfortunately there is a lack of confidence shown in the ability of some of the leaders te «arry out the seheme susosm-

fully, due to the failure of previous ill-conceived and ill-considered schemes. Having said this, however, it must be admitted by anyone who has studied the position at all carefully that there is plenty of scope for an improvement in the conditions of the marketing of dairy produce. As the Hon. Nosworthy truly remarked : ‘ 1 Changes are worldwide. The commercial interests and general conditions under which the world labored before the war have absolutely changed; the economic outlook is altered, and we have to adapt ourselves entirely to the new circumstances and conditions. . . .We are on the eve of prosperity, and this is the time to put your house in order, and not wait till another slump comes.” That is sound advice. There has been little or nor co-ordination or system in the past, and the producers have suffered accordingly. All will admit that there is need for radical improvement in the shipping, handling and marketing of the produce. Without a pool much can be done in this way; with a pool, if properly directed, the work would probably be simplified and facilitated- It is necessary to know more of the details of the scheme than have so far been vouchsafed before one can pronounce a definite opinion upon it. There will, of course, be considerable opposition to the proposal, much that will not be altogether disinterested, but it will be recollected that there was also strong objection from certain quarters to the meat pool when it was mooted, but the pool seems to be working successfully, and in the best interests of the producers, and in any case, could not possibly have brought, about conditions worse than those that previously existed. Similarly, conditions in respect to dairy produce could hardly be worse than they were during the past season, and if unity amongst the producers in regard to marketing the produce as expressed by the proposed pool will achieve similar results, then it will be to the advantage of dairymen to give effect to the scheme. As in the case of the meat pool, however, its success will depend upon the initiative, resourcefulness and administrative ability of the board of control.