DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1922, Page 6

DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL.

POINTS REPLIED TO. Mr. John Connett writes to the editor under yesterday’s date:— A letter in reference to the above subject appeared in to-day’s News over the signature of E. Maxwell, which calls for some comment, and as one of the committee, with your permission, I should like to reply thereto. Fair criticism of the proposal has been always welcomed, constructive for preference, but when a statement is made that ‘‘producers have been grossly misled by the promoters of the Bill,” then such can only be. characterised as of a wild nature and quite unworthy of the writer. All information supplied has been from the draft copy of the Bill, which, if I am not mistaken, was also •in Mr. Maxwell’s possession at the date I .of his meeting in the Soldiers' Club on September 22. If my, assumption is I porrect, why all this surprise now at xhe provisions of the Bill, which is al-*#i(-st a word for word copy of the .'raft in hand over two weeks ago? IVith the draft appeared a copy of the •igulations, providing that the levy should not exceed in the case of butter l-8d per lb. and in that of cheese l-16d per lb. This was decided by resolutions at the conference in Wellington, as everyone who attended knows. It should not be necessary for me to say that this levy may be very much less than the above amount.

Clause 15 provided principally for finance in the event o c marketing being taken up by the board. Logically, so long as the present channels of distribution prove satisfactory, little expense under this head will be entailed. An impression is abroad that our produce is to be dealt with 'by a board of 11 members. May I point out that there will be an executive body, who will report to and confer with the committee every three months. By this means I believe producers’ interests will be well protected. That some improvement is required in. our present methods of handling and marketin? dairy produce. I think, is agreed by all. Then I would say io my fellow farmers, let us stand together to try and bring about this very desirable end and if your committee arc not satisfactory to you elect others, by all means, in whom you have confidence. Few men holding responsible positions escape making mistakes at times, and who knows but that perhaps those throwing stones at us now have their glass houses too. Co-operation has long since passed the experimental stage, and although failures have been recorded at different times, in the great majoritv of cases success has been achieved, with very great benefit to the

farming community, enabjin? them to secure a better return for their labor. This proposal is advanced with the same object in view, and if given effect to. I believe, will prove equally satisfactory.

In to-day’s Daily News appears the report of a Press interview with a prominent Australian business man just returned from England. After makin? exhaustive enquiries into the frozen Ineat trade, he says: “Our most serious competitor is the Argentine, whose companies bv their complete and continuous control of export hold an enviable position. Their propaganda is excellent and well worth copying.” The good points of an opponent are. in my opinion, worthy of consideration, and these apply equally well to dairy produce. Therefore, farmers will be well advised to support the Dairy Control Bill and not be led away by the hysterical utterances of a few who are usually found in opposition to everything progressive.