INCREASED PRODUCTION

Chronicle (Levin), 6 August 1947, Page 4

INCREASED PRODUCTION

3 — - — ^ . Kuku-Manakau Dairy Co. Reviews Operations The annual meeting of shareholders of the Kuku-Manakau Cooperative Dairy Co., Ltd., was heid in .the. Manakau ■ Hall on Monday. The chairman of- directors, Mi\ ivo Bertram, presided. The annual review of activities showed. that the advance to suppliers for the past' year totdlled 22.046dr per' 1b. of butterfat as against 20.714d laSt year. The company's production this year shows an increase of 18.4 tonS (approx.) of butter. * Annual Report, . ? During the seasoh the company had manufactured- 512 tons 7cwt. 3qrs. 201bs. of butter,' said Mr. Bertram in his annual report. "Our financial position has grown from year to year, and. this season has been one of the best the company has ever had." The saies of milk to Wellington, which had increased greatly during the last seven years, had had an effect on the actual tonnage of butter made, explained Mr. Bertram. "At a time such as this, when Britain and Europe are crying out for fats of all kinds, we must endeavour to increase our production of butter." Attention was drawn by Mr. Bertram to the continued decline in the total production of dairy produce throughout Ne.w "Zealand, due in a large degree to the decrease in the number of cows, and impressed on supplibrs of the company the need to rear all heifer calves and bring them ihto production as soon as possible. Stocks on hand had been valued and brought into the accounts at current market rates. The total amount of cream cartage by suppliers, individuaily, was £234 13s lOd, which represented .059 per lb. on the total number of pounds of butterfat received by the company in cream from all sources. The equivalent tonnage of butter in cream sent to Kairanga and Wellington, and also in milk sent to Wellington, was approximately 183 tons. If all this supply had been made into butter the company would have manufactured 695 tons of butter during the season. "The average grade for • export butter was 93.71 per cent. This is an improvement on the grading for last season, which is considered quite satisfactory. The payments from the Marketing Department were distributed each month with the suppliers' payout. From june 1 to July 31, 1946, the amount of 3.904d was paid on 14,926 lbs. of butterfat. From August 1, 1946, to May 31, 1947, a payment of 5.185d on 933,207 lbs. of butterfat was distributed monthly." "The pig farm is operating successfully, although some of the buildings are not quite completed, due to the shortage of necessary building materials, but this defect is expected to be adjusted as soon as materials are forthcoming. Comparative Statistics A table of statisiics sUbmittea to the meeting gave the following information covering the year, the figures in parentheses being those for the previous year: Number of suppliers, 186 (211) ; cream received, 2,411,780lbs. (2,318,502) ; butterfat received, 948,1331bs. (909,920) ; average cream test, 39.31 per cent. (39.24) ; butterfat used for butt^rmaking, 945,993lbs. (908.105') ; creamery butter made, l,147,7681bs. (1,104,392) ; over-run, 21.33 per cent. (21,61)'; average grade butter, 93.71 per cent., (93.5) ; cream graded finest, 91.511 "per cent. (91.802) ; cream graded first, 8.317 per cent. (8.057)'; cream graded second, .172 per cent. (.141) ; butterfat in cream sold, 2,1401bs. (1,815) ; total charges to f.Q.b. per lb. of butterfat, 1.957d (1.976). Chairman's Comments "The board has in view using the building which has housed the cheese making machinery, and' which was bought during the war, as a chiliing station for pre-chill-ing the milk before it is Sent to Wellington," said Mr. Bertram. "In time I think this district will be supplying Wellington with milk all the year round." The equipment for chiliing the milk would be installed by the company and Would be the property of the shareholders, he added. Another veterinary surgeon had been stationed in the district, said Mr. Bertram, this time at Otaki. He would be oifered a permaheht position in the district when he had completed his training. "I am pleased to note that the suppliers have been taking advantage of the veterinary medicines placed at their disposai by the company," said Mr, Bertram. "The cost of the veterinary scheme this year has only be.en .0275d per lb. of butterfat. This is, I think, the lowest cost to any. dairy company in New Zealand." Electioli of Officers The only positions whieh were vacant among the officers of »the compahy were those of the two retiring directors and tho auditors. The two retiring directors, Messrs. H." B. HOnore- and R. L. Robinson were re-elected unopposed. Mr. j. S. Moir was re-elected auditor. General Business The company had taken up shares with various other comr panies, which Was necessary because of the control of the Wellington market, said the chairman. These companies were the Co-op. Dairy Prodticers' Ffe62ihg Co., Ltd., Dominion Producers' Co-op. Co., Ltd., N.Z. Producers' Co-op. Marketing Association and Tararua Farm ProductS, Ltd. At a subsequent meeting of the directors Mr. Bertram Was reelected chairman for the ensuing year.