FARM INSTRUCTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 September 1938, Page 6

FARM INSTRUCTION

HELP FOR DAIRY INDUSTRY MINISTER ON UNIVERSAL SCHEME IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF PRODUCE (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “The dairy industry has done so much for the welfare of New Zealand that its influence on the well-being of tne people as a whole cannot be estimated,” said the Minister of Agriculture. the Hon W. Lee Martin, in moving the second reading of the Dairy Industry Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives yesterday. The Bill, which gives power to make regulations providing for universal farmdairy instruction and inspection, met with general approval. The Minister said the march of progress from the private or individual making of butter or cheese on the farm to the successful institution of the community or co-operative dairy factory system of manufacture of high quality milk products constituted one of the outstanding achievements of the past century. The number of officers engaged under the old system of voluntary farm-dairy industry was 42. This system had both advantages and disadvantages, but it had served to lay the foundation for: the larger Domin-ion-wide scheme which had now been estabished. APPROVED BY INDUSTRY The universal scheme, the Minister continued, had the full endorsement of the industry and of the Dairy Board. "It had been asked for time and time again by practically every important meeting of dairy-farmers’ representatives. “The principal aim of farmdairy instruction is improvement in quality,” said Mr Martin. “The attitude of the majority of the suppliers is to regard the instructor as a welcome visitor who can help them in any difficulty which they may have in maintaining the highest quality of milk and cream. In order to carry out his duties successfully, it is obvious that the officer appointed should have a very general knowledge of dairying, and for this reason' only those who have had some years of experience in dairy factory work, in rhost cases as managers, have been considered in making the appointments.” Mr Martin said that under the voluntary scheme the contribution made by the Government was approximately 30 per cent of the total cost, and the amount to be collected from each contributing dairy company in a group was assessed on the amount of butterfat received during the previous year. APPORTIONMENT OF LEVY Under the universal scheme one half of the levy of 60 per cent, which would be the proportion of the total cost borne by the industry, would bfc Collected on a supplier basis and would amount to 4s per supplier per year. This amount would be baited on the maximum number supplying during August, September or October in each year, and would be collected with the November payment. The other half of the levy would be based on butterfat and would amount to o.ooBd per lb of fat received during the current month and would be collected monthly. The balance of 40 per cent of the total cost would be borne by the Consolidated Fund. • The scheme would cost £46,000 per annum, and of this sum £27,500 would be provided by the industry and £18,500 by the Consolidated Fund. There would be 7? officers engaged the work, 55 being located in the North Island and 22 in the South Island. Each officer would have approximately 900 suppliers on his programme, the number varying slightly in keeping with the intensity of dairying in the district in which he was working and with the size of the herds. The Hon A. Hamilton, Leader of the Opposition and other members expressed approval of any steps taken to improve the quality of dairy produce. The Bill was read a second time.