CO-OPERATIVE DAIRYING

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 190, 19 August 1901, Page 2

CO-OPERATIVE DAIRYING

MOVEMENT TO FORM A COMPANY. A largely attended meeting of farmers was hold in the Matawliero schoolroom on Saturday evening to consider the question of co-operative dairying, and the advisability of starting a factory in this district. Mr R. M. Birroll presided, and in his introductory remarks pointed out the advantages that accrued to the settlers of a district in having a co-operative dairy factory. He referred to the success which had attended the movement in other parts of the colony, and predicted that even greater things could bo expected from this

district, which was so admirably suited for the industry. Mr Knight, of Patutahi, made an excellent speech in support of the movement. He had had considerable experience in co-operative dairying in the South, and was in a position to recommend it to the settlers of this district. He narrated his experiences in the district from whence he had come, and went into details as to the cost of production, clearly showing the profits' that were to be made by the cooperative in contradistinction to the proprietary system. Ho volunteered his services to try and got a sufficient number of settlers in the district to band themselves together to establish a factory on cooperative lines. He gave a lot of useful information in regard to the dairying industry, and c,included an excellent speech by impressing upon those present the necessity of at once making a start. Mr I. Lewis (Patutahi) addressed the meeting, and placed before those present a deal of information on the subject of co-operative dairying. He was, he said, at present milking fifty cows, and he considered that he would make <£loo a year more than he was at present by sending the milk to a co-operative factory. He was sure that farmers would bo much better off under the co-operative than the proprietary system.

Mr W. C. Walsh followed Mr Lewis, and went iuto a most elaborate analysis of the differences between the cost of the two systems. Ho contended that the cooperative system meant increased profits to the farmer. He appeared to have given the question a great deal of consideration, and his remarks made an impression on those present.

After a short discussion three resolutions were unanimously adopted. These were to the effect that a provisional committee consisting of Messrs R. M. Birrell, J. Lewis, A. Lange, *: T “°h.y, W. Walsh and Knight (Patutahi) be appointed to obtain information as to tiro number of cows that could bo obtained in the district, and that so soon as four hundred cows were secured a start should be made ; ako that a meeting of the committee should be held in Gisborne on Saturday next.

It was stated that there would be no difficulty in obtaining the four hundred cows necessary to start a co-operative dairy, and everything seems to favor the success of the movement. Before the meeting closed the Chairman made a strong appeal to those present to band together and do their best to promote the success of the co-operative factory, as he was sure they would find it to their interests to do so.