DAIRYING & THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2495, 23 June 1915, Page 10

DAIRYING & THE WAR

THE FARMERS' PART COUNTRY IN A FORTUNATE P.OSITION NATIONAL DAIRY CONFERENCE OI'ENE (By Telegraph—Special Reporter.) , •• Palmorstnn North, June 22. -The National Dairy Conference was commenced at the Show Grounds this morning, when the annual meeting of tho National Dairy Association of New Zealand,' Ltd., was oponed. Mr. A. Morton, the president of tho directorate of the association, presided. The following members answered the roll call: — Awahuri, Hopelands, lnter-Wanganui, Kaponga, Mere Merc, Nireaha, Omata, I'apatawa, Rangitikei, Rexdalo, Alton, Awatuna, Ballance, Belvedere, 801 l Block, Cardiff, Dannevirke, Eltliam, Feathers ton, Glen Oroua, Hawera, JolLs, Kaupokonui, Kniranga, Lowgarth, Mangatoki, Mangorei, Mastorton, Mauriceville, Mangatainoka, Midhirst, Maketawa, Matamau, Ngairo, Normanby, Norsewcod, Northern Wairoa, New Zealand Dairy Association, Opotiki, Otaraia, Orurtt-Fairbairn, Parkyale, Riverdale, liongotea, Rata, Rabotu, Taratahi, Tarata, Te Aroha, Thames Valley, Waroa, Whenuakura, Waipu. Proprietary Factories.—Hawke's Bay (Beattie and Co.), Alpha (N. Nicholaison), Defiance (J. Nathan and Co.), Wangauui Dairy Co. Exporters—Pearson and Butter, Foley Bros., Sydney, Mills and Sparrow, Lonsdale and Co., Oetzes and Geritzen, Wright, tSephenson, and Co., Weddell and Co.

Giving Out of Increased Profits Urged. Iu moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, summaries of which have already been published, Mr. Morton drew attention to the very altered conditions which now obtained owing to tho war which the Empire was engaged in. As time had gone on New Zealand had found _ its burden growing heavier and heavier, and no one thought of doing else than sticking to the Empire. We could proudly say wo had done our share so far, and we would continue to the end to do it. (Applause.) The' war liad upset the association's usual method of doing business. There was first of all the uncertainty as to whether our produce would reach its markets, and secondly if it did get' to London, what would happen to it there. The result was that the open consignment system of disposal was adopted by almost the whole of tho North Island factories. New Zealand had benefited remarkably through the war so far as its dairying industry was concerned; we had had prices hitherto undreamt of for both butter, and cheese. As these priccs were due to a Avar in which our brethren were shedding their blood, the least the farmers could do was to contribute generously to tho Patriotic Funds. So far the farmers had given liberally, but lie hoped that they would contribute even more largely. He felt certain the dairymen would attend to that, particu-larly-ill, view .of their increased profits.

The Shipping Difficulties. dislocation' of "shipping had been a cause of great anxiety to the executive, who had to see that the association was obtaining its fair share. of the space available. Tho executive had received a deal of- assis'tance from the Government, ;;imi''th£',sKipping companies had endeavoured .to,steet the association in every way. ■ TJp_ ; to May 31 all the association's produce' was carried at contract rates.-• Then all the export butter had gone, but.'dSjOOO crates of cheese still remained in store, awaiting vessels. Th'e shipping companies advised that on account ■ of : .Imperial Government ■ wanting . insulated snips, the contract Avon kibe suspendocl, and that the freight rate^ji;cheese,would be increased from halfpenny perpound to three-farthings per pound net,' and that the freight on buttej.,would.be'.ihoreased from 2s. 6d. per v.-bo'x:- . net--:! to 3s. per box. This represented ".an increase of 50 poi' -ceiit." ill - freight on cheese, and 20 per cent, on butter. The executive protested" against the proposed increase being, appljed to produce which ■ was'in store prior to May 31, am! which had not been removed solely on account of the shortage of ships. They protested, also, against the comparative penalty on cheese as against butter. Finally, .the shipping companies gave an assurance that the increases would not apply'to the produce which was in store prior to the end of May. He did not think any factory had been financially hampered through the long storage, as advances ivere made on store warrants as usual. ' During the "season the industry had been affected by' a drought in some

parts of the Dominion, but, notwithstanding this adversity, butter production had increased by 13 per cent., and cheese production in reality had increased by 3 per cent. Had it not heen l'or the seriousness of the drought, these rates of increase would have been much higher. The Quality of Our Produce. Owing to the high prices ruling for cheese, a number of butter factories were now preparing to manufacture cheese. Till the end of the war cheese would bring big returns, but for how long after the war theso prices would last lie could not gauge. If the war continued lor another season, or two seasons, the factories which were changing from butter to cheese would no doubt bo able to recoup the cost of the change. He could not say lie hoped they would; rather, he hoped they would not, as their gain would mean that tho community was still being seriously affected. There was another aspect of this matter.- With many factories going out of the butter trade, there would he a reduction in the production of butter, and therefore those factories which continued making butter should do well. Mr. Morton said that he had noticed in the stores in Wellington that the cheeses did not always fill their crates. Crates had been but not cheeses. The folly of not filling crates lay in tho fact that in these days of shortage of shipping space considerably more cheese could be put on a vessel if the crates were filled. This year the reports from London as to the condition of our produce, and as to its quality, were to ttlie effect that everything .was "cry satisfactory. The war liad interfered with our Vancouver and South African trades, but there were still good markets there, and when the time came we would be able to take ad/antage of them. Retiring Directors Re-elected. Mr. Morton concluded by expressing a hope that the unfortunate stoto of affairs now existing would soon disappear, and that the farmers would be aolo to continue their industry in days of peace. (Applause.) The motion to adopt the annual report was seconded by Mr. A. ilacfarlano and carried. The retiring directors were all reelected. Tlie.v are: —Messrs. A. Morton, W. D. Powdrell, and H. D. Forsyth (Taranaki), and Messrs. Thos. Bassett and A. C. Hubbard (Auckland). Mr. C. D. Morpeth was re-elected auditor.