N.Z. CO-OP. DAIRY CO., LTD.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 629, 3 May 1921, Page 4

N. Z. CO-OP. DAIRY CO., LTD.

SUPPLIERS’ TWEETING. IN ODDFELLOWS’ HALL. HOW THE DAIRY INDUSTRY IS PROGRESSING. Last evening the first of the annual meetings of the suppliers in the N Z. Co-Op. Dairy Company was held in the Oddfellows’ Hall. Pukekohe, when the chairman of directors (Mr Claude Motion) presided. MessrsW. Goodfellow (managing director), A. J. Sinclair (assistant manager). Matt. Shaw and Dynes Fulton (direc-'-< tor Tuakau district) were present. The chairman briefly outlined the business of the evening. He dealt with the matter of price, and explained that the Government had not puts its shoulder to the wheel, and it was mainly owing to the efforts of the Auckland Province that a price in excess of the Imperial Government’s offer was secured. He dealt also with the matter of the winter subsidy, and said it was arranged that the Government would pay twopence subsidy and interest and storage. This brought the price to 2s l%d. It had proved that unity had its reward. Had amalgamation ' not taken place they would have received a much lower figure. Mr Goodfellow, (managing director), said the season had been a record one. Over 12,000 tons of butter had- been made, being an increase of 2200 tons. The total output of butter made in New Zealand up to March was 32,000 tons, thus the Dairy Company made over -one-third of the total butter manufactured in New Zealand. The output of cheese was approximately 5600 tons for the year. The outstanding feature of the season had been the great improvement in quality. The average butter grade last season was 91.4, whereas the grade for the previous year was 90.5. During 1920-21 the percentage of superfine butter made was 72.. per cent, as compared with 60 per cent, the previous season; first grade 32 per cent, as compared with 20 per cent., and second grade 7% per cent, as compared with 8 percent. The superfine improvement was exceedingly' gratifying to the directors, who realised the imperative necessity of quality on a weak marked. New Zaland butter was now better than Danish and was recognised by experts as the best in the market. Every effort should be made by suppliers to get superfine grade. The Dairy Company’s New Zealand sales amounted to approximately half ? a million sterling, while large ments were made to England, Canada and America. The price obtained was undoubtedly a good one. By selling 2000 tons to America at 2s 6d net, the Imperial Government was induced to offer the same price. The additional 4d. obtained meant to the company’s suppliers an extra profit of something like £400,000, while to the Dominion it amounted to over one million sterling additional mofit. The numerous factories had been managed very satisfactorily during the past season. This was largely doe to the efforts of Mr Kirkman, the company’s superintendent. It had been found necessary to erect a further butter factory at Waharoa _ and to convert the Waitoa cheese factory to butter and to enlarge the Waihou plant. The factories, including the new Ngatea factory, would provide additional accommodation for , 450 C tons butter. The output for next season was estimated at 13,000 tons. (Continued next issue.)