ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 849, 22 June 1910, Page 4

ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING.

INDUSTRIES PROGRESSING. DISCUSSION ON VARIOUS TOPICS. (By Telegraph—Special Reporter.) Palmcrston, Juno 21. The annual meeting of the National | Dairy Association of New Zealand, Ltd., was held to-day in- tho Show Ground Lceturo Hall. Tho • president, Mr. A. MacFarlanc, of Pahiatua, was in the chair, and representatives of fortysix co-operativo companies, ono proprie'tary, and four exporting firms were present. Chairman's Address. In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet (a summary of which has already appeared in The Dominion), tho chairman remarked that these- documents constituted a test of the association's affairs, and ho was pleased to notice tho progress that was being made. There had'been a decided incrcaso in tho output, which had now reached over £182,000. Nevertheless, it was imperative that tho membership should bo added to. The season had been a remarkable ono —it had been ono of tho longest on record for milking, and the prices all through had been high. There had been a big increase in Germany's imports of butter from Denmark and othor countries, and the result was distinctly in Now Zealand's favour, for it gavo a inoro open market iu England for Nov.- Zealand produce. There had been a big increase in tho cheeso industry of tho Dominion. A further contract had been mado with tiio shipping companies, and some valuable concessions had been obtained from them, including a weekly steamer service during tho busy season. Prospects for the coming season were good. In regard to assets and liabilities, tho association was happily situated as compared witli previous years. There was 310W no overdraft, and, further,, there was a considerable surplus. The chairman went on to refer to tho valuable services of their lato president (Mr. J. W. Foreman), who was at present suffering from illness. Mr. Foreman had done good service for tho association, and his unfailing tact and courtesy had been a powerful factor in smoothing over the association's difficulties. The president read, an extract from a butter report six years old, which stated that tho price then ruling was Bd. per lb., and which prophesied the doubling of tho output and a future increaso of tho industry to double its then proportions. Mr. MacFarlanc. pointed out that that prophecy had boon fulfilled, and if ho made a similar prophecy this year that in five years the output would bo again doubled ho believed it would bo fulfilled. (Applause.) Mr. Marx asked if anything had been done in the matter of insurances, which had been a burning, question during tho past year. Tho chairman replied that tho out put had been insured through tho London house for tho present year only at lis. 9d. "Outside" Factories. Mr. C. C. Beattio inquired how the outside factories wero faring in tho transaction of their business at Homo. Tho chairman replied that they did it through their agents, who were mem-, hers of tho association. Mr. Beattio said that if that wero tho case a number of tho factories ■would probably withdraw from the association. Ho thought that it should be mado clear that factories who wished to export should do so through tho association. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Wier (Stratford) remarked that when his factory had wanted to make arrangements for exporting its products, tho secretary had been away from tho office in Wellington, and his factory had to mako its own arraugemonts. Tho secretary explained that ho was away at Sydney at a conference at tho timo. , Co-operation and Insurance, Mr. Hodgson, referring again to insurances, suggested that mutual insurance of dairy products should bo instituted. It was another step in co-opera-tion, and he. believed that it could bo done by making calls on tho companies in proportion to losses. Tho chairman remarked that cooperation was still in its infancy, but it was too early to do anything in that lino at present. Tho association had no funds to start mutual insurance. It would be all right so long as there wero only small losses, but when a big shipment was lost, they would not bo ablo to meet tho claims. Rimutalia Butter. Mr. Brown (Midhirst) complained of the shutting out of all tho Rimutaka butter in a recent shipment, also of tho difficulty of getting information from tho office. Mr. Harkness outlined difficulties which the association encountered. Not only was tho Rimutaka butter left out, but a lot of other butter as well. Mr. Hfirkness pointed out tho difficulty of getting account sales out from tho office. Accumulation of Buttar Held Bach. Mr. Mason (To Aroha) asked for information in reference to an Auckland shipment of butter, by which a fortnight's accumulation of butter in tho Auckland province was not allowed to s°. Mr. Harkness pointed out that it was entirely an arrangement between tho two shipping companies. Proposed Dairy School. . In reply to a member, the chairman remarked that repeated efforts had

been made to liavo a dairy school established in Palraerston, and it. might new bo necessary to do a little "logrolling" as far as country members of Parliament were concerned, for tho pcrposo of hastening results. Regarding; cow-testing, the association might inquire, carefully into the matter, for although cow-testing was now carried out in the AVairarapa, it was probable that, unless something was dono, cowtesting would go out of tho Dominion altogether. Butter Moisture. Replying to representations made by Mr. Sampson (Hillsborough) tho chairman said that moisture in butter had not caused as much trouble in tho past year as in the previous one. Butter sent down by tho association had been tested and graded, and on being found to contain more moisture than should have- existed had been sent back. This was the best method that could be adopted, ho considered, and it was a better system than shipping it with a chance of being prosecuted at Homo. A member remarked that there should be no suspicion of over-moisture. (Laughter.) Advice About Horns Shipments. Mr. Goodwin (Normauby), excusing himself on tho jground that if thero wore no growlers there would bo no progress, took opportunity to ventilate a grievance. (Laughter.) He pointed out that thero was something wrong in the transmission oij advico regarding tho prices realised for butter at Home. The shipment by the Karamea was not advised until after information had been received regarding tho butter shipped by two subsequent steamers. The chairman replied that as only a week had elapsed between the arrivals of the vessels referred to, the butter had probably been all sold at ono time. It was not possible to watch such matters carefully until a traveller was appointed by the association. Cheeses of Two Years Aeo. Tho secretary was called upon* to explain what had happened to nine cheeses, sent Homo from Patea two years ago. He declared that, as tho matter had not been brought under his notice until a few days back, it would bo impossible to make successful inquiries. He added that it was a. custom now to send to tho association any cheese and butter that could not be sold in tho ordinary way, and in addition, when tallies were wrong, the troubles of the association's staff were heavily increased. Tho report and balance-sheet wero adopted. ' Services Appreciated. Messrs. A. MacFarlane (Pahiatua) and \Y. Fisher (Carterton) wore re-elected to positionsonthedirectoratooftho association, llonvunoration was fixed at: President, £50; directors, £20 each. Mr. C. D. Morpeth was re-elected auditor. The meeting passed a resolution recognising tho services of tho late president, Mr. J. AV. Foreman, and regretting his resignation through ill-health. A ■ telegram was received from Mr. Foreman at Tikorangi, conveying his satisfaction at tho progress of tho association.. Size of Cheeso Crates. Mr. Borric (Kaupokonui) moved, and Mr. Murdoch (chairman of Joll's Company) seconded; the following notice of motion, expressing the desires of representatives of tho Box Company. That it be a recommendation to the National Dairy Association that an effort be made to get a uniform . size of export cheeso cases for the . North Island, and, if possible, for tho Dominion, tho standard case to " havo a 15-inch head and a 27-inch batten. ' .. Other delegates agreed that tho proposal would bo welcomed by tho snipping companies, who had more than onco complained that tho cratos wero not of uniform length, but when stacked, wero all "steps and stairs." The proposal, according to ono member, ought to bo heartily approved by every cheese-making, company in tho Dominion. Mr. Morton (manager of tho Box Company) said that thero were more short shipments of -cheese than of butter, due because of lack of information regarding the space ■ available. The difficulty might bo almost entirely removed if shipping companies wero placed in tho position of being able to calculate accurately the space required. The resolution was carried without dissent. Representation for Auckland. There were two other notices of motion placed before tho meeting: . (1) That Article 21 of the Articles of Association be struck out, with the purpose of substituting the following :—"The management of the association and the custody of its funds and property shall vest in a board of nine directors, two of whom shall bo resident in the Auckland province, and tho remainder resident in other provinces of tho North Island." (2) That the number of directors bo increased to nine, and that two seats be allotted to the Auckland province. In moving these resolutions, Mr. R. G. Welsh, representing tlie Dalefield Dairy Company, urged that Auckland provinco should have representation on tho Board of Directors. Other members urged that little .was known about the National Dairy Association in Auckland, whero the industry was growing. It was considered by some to be a most urgent matter that Auckland dairymen should not withdraw from tho association. The chairman explained that tho articles provided now for nine directors —five for the North Island, and four for tho South Island, tho latter never having been appointed.* Mr. Marx moved an amendment that there should bo nine directors, seven of whom should be North Island men. Another amendment was proposed, that provision should ho made for seven directors only, without vcferenco to their placo of residence. It was finally agreed that tho Articles of Association should bo altored to provide for a board of seven directors. Tho directors wero authorised to arrange for a meeting at which two directors should be elected to fill the. two casual vacancies declared to have arisen. Status of Accountants. Reference was made by Mr. J. Brown (Maketawa) to the fact that accountants wero approaching the Prime Minister with a view to amending tho Companies (Vet so that a Public Account- ■ ants' Association might be formed. Tho spoakcr said that if the proposal went through it would affect the smaller companies in tho Taranaki district, who would not bb able to engago a man to audit their books unless he was a public accountant. If accountants wero formed into a close corporation, as was proposed, they might chargo exorbitant fees. Another member, who stated that he was an accountant, remarked that the dairy companies would not be charged higher fees, because in Now Zealand thero was a limited amount of accounts ancy work to be distributed among 2000 accountants. Ho moved that tho association should enter a protest to tho Primo Minister against tho proposal to amend tho Companies A.ct in tho direction mentioned. Other members considered that a menaco threatened, and the motion was carried by 18 votes to 17. This concluded the business for the day. ■ i