WEST COAST LIME COY.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1926, Page 4

WEST COAST LIME COY.

Tile annual meeting of the West Coast Lime Company, held at the Grey County Chambers on Saturday. August 21st, was largely attended by shareholders, including many members of the various branches of the Farmers’ Union. An apology for absence was read from the Chairman (Mr W. Butler), who was in AVellington. Mr P, J. McLean was voted to the chair, and. after expressing bis pleasure at seeing so representative an attendance at the meeting, stressed the necessity for the additional shares to

I;( taken u)>. sd that sufficient lands could lie socurod to erect n smaller Icilu and other improvements, to reduce the cost of production. In moving the adoption of the balance sheet lor the year ondjjd March :U. 1926. .Mr -McLean said: I jmi sure that all shareholders "ill be pleased to see that the Company lias at last turned the corner and that although the profit shown in t’’e year's work is only £2OO 15s sd, yet (in spite of the wet season) we are thankful to be able to show a. profit and not a loss. Tile item unpaid calls £ls 15s is the total amount owing by three shareholders which is more than satisfactory. The debentures stand at the same figures as at last year's balance, the management avoiding as far as possible increasing the indebtedness of the Company and escaping the payment of 7 per cent interest on a larger amount. Debenture holders please note that no interest has been credited to them for this year. The amount of lime sold this year was only £3l 17s (id less than the previous year, the figures being. this year £IB7O Os 2d. This return was as great a surprise to me as I have no doulit it is to you, and when we look back at tlie wet spring and summer eve had one marvels that such an amount of lime was handled in a season with practically no summer. Lorry earnings this year amounted to £358 17s (id against £202 17s (id the previous year showing an increase of £9O. I would like to point out that the bridge over Donnelly’s Creek has borne testimony to the judgment of tile management in pushing forward this long-delayed convenience. Shareholders had no idea of the amount of time wasted after every flood prior to the building of the bridge, when men in gum boots bad to roll large stones out of the way and make a ford so that the lorry could get-through. .Much of the success of the lorry account is clue to the faith that two of your shareholders have in the ultimate prosperity of the Lime Works. When the new F.AV.D. lorry arrived it had to be paid for. and these two shareholders financed the deal on behalf of the Company. Wages this year amounted to £906 18s lOd, against £1199 13s 9d. the previous year, showing that improvements at the works reduced the wages account by £292 Ms lid. with only £3l 17s 3d worth less of lime produced. There is no doubt that there is room for improvements at the works, hut they "must wait until the necessary cash is in hand to carry out our plans, and we believe when shareholders regain their confidence in the ultimate success of the Lime Works that all we ask for will he provided by shareholders. We would like to see every farmer on the West Coast holding at least 25 shares in the Company. We have now nearly 600 shares which could be taken up bv farmers and if those uho are able to take up these shares will communicate with the Secretary at Moss, T am sure you will delight his heart, and encourage him to go ahead. We would like io see an improvement in the amount of lime ordered by farmers ns there is : not the slightest doubt but that lime is what the West Const needs. The larger the quantity turned out at the works the cheaper it can he produced. During the winter months considerable improvements were made to the road from Doss Township to the works the sum of £25 each being granted from the County Council. Mines Department, Department of .Agriculture and Lime Co. A road with only half the grade to the kiln has been surveyed higher up Donnelly's Creek which would allow coal and mill slabs to lie landed at the mouth of the kiln with half the trouble. A sum of £3OO is being applied for through the Westland County Council in the present year’s Estimates for this road. During the spring months we find that the kiln cannot turn out burnt lime fast enough and in the winter we have a difficulty in getting sufficient orders

to keep Hie kiln going. A smaller kill) to hold about 25 tons would supplement the orders in summer and in win- 1 ter wo could allow the large kiln to go out as the smaller one could keep pace with orders. Before closing this report, I wish to bear testimony to the capable management of the Works by Mr Collett. He is it good all-round man turning his hand to any job coming bis way, always trying to keep down expenses and make the company a paying proposition. AA r c cannot speak too highly of the work done by the secretary, Mr Murdoch; undoubtedly, the improved position is due to the good work done by him. The local directors, Messrs Minohan and Thomson. also assist the company in every possible way.” On the motion of Mr M. 0. Carter, the report was adopted. Mr AV. Clayton moved and Mr .T. Aluloare seconded a hearty vote of thanks to the directors and expressed great appreciation of the work they had done. It was arranged that the secretary should communicate with all branches of the Fanners’ Union, and the members of the Union present personally undertook to get into touch with all farmers and do their utmost to see that the remaining shares were taken up. it was considered that the lime produced was second to none in Mow Zealand, and that its. use was necessary to improve Coast lands. - The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.