SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 209, 23 May 1918, Page 8

SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL REPORT,

The annnnl report of the South Island Dairy. Association for the year ended April SO, says that the'past year had been. fraught with many difficulties, tho chief of which had.been the shortage of shipping, and. the executive had had'to give much anxious thought to the question of relieving the congestion -at the various stores, and they wore satisfied they had earned the gratitude, of the factories in this. respect. The profit and loss account was in credit to the 1 extent of ,£3ASO 16s. 6d., an increase of ,£1921 ss. Hd. on the year's working. Tho turnover for supplies for use of factories was t =£36,870 Is. Id., an increaso of 422,192 14s. -td. for the year. The sale of biitter and cheese was .628,035 2s. 9d„ an increase of ,£4839 6s. In spite of some, irregularities in the arrivals of oversea ships the association had always /been able to keep faith with the factories in the supply of their indents—a business which had now reached an important position in the operations of the association, and one which was growing annually. A3 vhowing the immense stnam that aio being made in the cheese and butter industries in three southern provinces, the increased output necessitatedthe erection of new storage buildings at Bluff, Dunedin, and Lyttelton. These stores were proving of incalculable value, and it was difficult to.'say how the factories would have fared without this means of relieving the storage congestion at the factories. The stores were now carrying heavy stocks of cheese and butter. Thanks were due to the Govr : eminent for the assistance lent In financing the erection of the stores. The commission received'through insurance .position in the operations of the association amounted to .£2ll 10s. 7<1., an increase of £9 9s. 2d. oyer last year's figures, The prices at which first grade produce was taken on behalf of the Imperial Government were:—Cheese, lOd. per. lb.;, factory butter, lojs. per cwt. and SO per cent, profit; whey butter, "138s. 8d- per cwt. and 50 per cent, profit; u11.f.0.b. on steamer.

\ The following table shows the ship- ' ments of. butter, and ..cheese for tho i . teasou ended April 30:— i ■'.'■■ ■ Lyttel- [ ton. Dunedin. Bluff. '■ ; Boxes. Boxes. Boxes. 1 Fnctorv butter ;.. 36,362 .15,615 - •, "Wh'ev Wtter'.:...';'... :.263 '•' 155; .- ' Milled butter - 55 - i' •• Crates. Crates. Crates. ! - Factory cheese' ... 13,373 18,632 72,03* I Dairy oheese 634 '-— • — ! Cheese in store ... 9,110 17,200 39,800