THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2350, 2 August 1887, Page 2

THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

TO THE EDITOR. •Sir,—Whoa I wrote you a few line? on the dairying industry I had one, and only one object in view, viz., to cause dairymen to pause and weigh the pros and cons in the matter before committing themselves to any particular course, and having done so much I purposed leaving it there, but Messrs Glanville and Ellyett baring stepped into the breach I propose to question their remarks in a few particulars, and beg to state my opinion that they have refuted nothing, but glossed over everything. Their personalities wo will pass by or you can collect their adjectives and give me credit for the lot from “stupid” to "ungenerous”; in fact I rather like them, it looks so like “no case, abuse the other side.” G. and E. state that the result of the company’s operations has been to “ obtain cash prices for butter, generally in excess of its value,” and that buttermakers dealing with them have “ received all and more than all the proceeds.” Perhaps at the outset rubbish was incautiously purchased, and loss resulted.” Have they paid “all and more than all” this season ? Again, the company proposes to “try to remedy the existing state of things and help the farmer.” Now, Sir, the colony has been drenched with this kind of twaddle. Better far, because it is true, to say the company seeks to make profit on new lines if the old ones won’t do. This will sit squarely with anyone, and cannot be objected to, hut for hard-headed business men who have ventured their capital in a concern to talk about it, why they must think we are a gullible lot. And now for the “fuss” I make about exporting. limply nothing. I simply state my disappointment that a company ostentatiously floated to export our surplus (I think I am right in assuming this to be the idea in the minds of moat of the country shareholders) should grab the local market, and lay out to make it their own. Deny it who can ! As to " monopoly,” well, G. and E. are welcome to hold any opinion they like, but I think most people know that it is a very serious “ bogey” without being scared at all. It is no concern of mine, whether it is good for the monopolist or not, it is quite enough for me, that it is bad for those who are not in it, and generally that means the community at large. And now, sir, can G, and E. deny this, that they are now selling out their stock at Is 3d per pound, and the highest price they were giving (so far as 1 can learn) was KM? If that is “misadventure and misfortune” I would put up with anv quantity of it like the company does. Xow, when the dairyman considers the cost m toil and money to produce butter, for which he gets, say lOd, and knows that the consumer gives Is Cd for it, no wonder he finds grit between Ilia teeth. Only SO per cent added by sundry middlemen. Xo doubt it can all oe explained, and no doubt it is all right, and we ought to be thankful, same time it looks queer, as tho’ there was something rotten, rotten butter perhaps. We admit the “ necessity for moving out of this rut," but we can’t see tho way, and thus it appears we are being shoved deeper into it. The consumer for whom we have so much affection is so far off, and the “ dear” middlemen occupy so much room in between that I hope you will feel pity for the sorrows of a poor oid Milkman.