THE CONTROL QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1926, Page 12

THE CONTROL QUESTION.

Sir, —I have read with great interest the letters from readers regarding Dairy Control, and 1 am still of the opinion that control will benefit the country as a whole. Surely the Control Board cannot be 'blamed for a reduction in price. The late Mr. W. F. Massey directed the dairy' faripers, amongst others, to increase production, knowing, as everybody should do, that a country paying away' millions in the dole could not possibly pay high prices for butter and cheese, ami, in my opinion, trade will have to be increased in the Old Country before we benefit here. 1 have not the pleasure, of knowing your Oaomu correspondent, but I have visited Raliotu on sale days, and there oi\e can meet and hear the opponents of control, some of whom would nearly' bring the tears to the eyts of the listener, but while one who has heard them hold forth is still thinking over what has been said, it comes near milking time, and he sees the anti-control men. get into their Yankee cars and go home, ami he who has listened and seen has much to think over. Furthermore, all is not well with some of the dairy factories, and in some companies, where the directors are against control, they crimp the pay-out. We were told that payment would be at the rate of Is 2d per lb butter-fat for superfine cheese. Well, Pungarehu have had superfine cheese and yet they only pay out Is. I maintain that Is 2d should liavp been paid, and to those suppliers of Cape Egmont I will offer the following recital. At one meeting of shareholders of Cape Egmont tb.e question arose as to whether tile company could not advance more on the produce, and the reply was that if every supplier signed the “joint and several'’ it could be done. The bonuses were witheld one year, and would not be paid to the supplier until he had signed the “joint and several.” A month ago the bonus from last season was paid out. It took all that time for the produce to get Home, they say, but this is what 1 make out of it: Our cheese hasn’t gone Home yet, yet we are docked 2d from the control price, and I think when the time suits the cheese goes from here to London immediately, and when it doesn’t suit as witness last year’s bonus it might take a vear. 1 am, etc., CONTROL AND FAHCPLAY Pungarehu, Nov. 24.