PLAINS DAIRYING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4310, 29 August 1921, Page 2

PLAINS DAIRYING.

ANNUAL MEETING.

OF LOCAL COMPANY.

Over 60 shareholders congregated at the Victoria Hall, Turua, on Thursday morning, it being the occasion ot the sixth annua! meeting of the Hauraki Plains Co-operative Dairy Company. The chairman, Mr A. H. Rogers, presided, and there were with him on the platform Messrs H. H. Hicks, J. M. Mules, S. S. Murray, E. A., Clark, R. G. Millar, and Geo, Gray, the directors of the company during the twelve months. E EPORT. The directors, in the annual) report, said that it disclosed a very satisfactory position, assuming that .the realisation of .the company's unsold cheese as at June 30 came up to ex pectations. Suppliers knew that the company’s cheese had this season been put upon ;the open market in England on open consignment for the first time for oyer four years. AL the beginning of .the season the position was very uncertain indeed, prices having fluctuated very considerably during the course of the season, necessitating a very cautious policy on the part of the directors in regard to pay out to avoid reclaimatfons. Suppliers had received an average pay out for butter-fat for the whole of the season of Is 8 2-8 d per lb, and the amount of £5134 ,16s 8d shown in .the balance-sheet as due to suppliers would give an average pay-out; for the whole season of Is lid per lb of buc-ter-fat. The value of the unsold cheese at June 30 was taken in the balance-sheet at what the directors considered a conservative estimate, and they hoped .that the ultimate realisation of the cheese would show an increase on the price. The markets had fluctuated so much from time to time that it was impossible to say definitely what the final pay-out would be. It was hoped it would be. known not later than the end pf September pr early in October, when the final bonus woujd be immediately paid out.

' The directors had thought it desirable that the company should manufacture its own whey butter, and with this object had arranged and equipped a small up-to-date butter plant, , and towards financing it had created a reserve fund of £lOOO. It was hoped tha,t the saving effected in- manufacturing the company’s own whey barter would very materially help to cover the cost of the plant in a reasonably short time, and so increase butter-fat payments for the future. The directors had arranged with the Government Department of Agriculture for the formation of a cowtesting association within the factory, which had been of great service to those suppliers who had .availed themselves of it. At the close of the past’ season Mr C.' Far t ley, late manager of the Kaupokanui Company, had been ! appointed, as manager of the company, t The supply of milk during the past season had again increased very considerably, . the . factory having dealt with 12,329,2751 b this year, which showed an increase over last year of 1,986,303.1 b, and the directors anticipated a further considerable increase .for the coming season. In addition, a certain amount pf cream would be received and dealt with for buttermaking. THE CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. The chairman, in the course of his addrpss, stated that the most important matter to report was .that last year the directors had decided to consign rather than to sell outright. They were now sorry that such a decision was arrived at. They had unfortunately struck a very bad year. At the present time it was an open question as to vvhich policy would pay better. Some pt the pay-outs had not 'been very ,large, but they must remember that 'this was the first year in which they had adopted sale by open consignment. The pay-out tp date was about Is and they were in hopes that they would be able to pay out at least 2s, but could not yet say whether this would be so. More than one-third of the season’s produce had riot yet been disposed al. They would be able, in the course of the next fortnight, if the suppliers desired, to make the price paid out up to Is 9d, but this rested entirely with the shareholders. During the season they had thoroughly discussed th? question of changing over to butter production. This was the outcome of the big slump in the price of cheese. They had not then the’necessary ready cash to convert their plant entirely to a butter plant, but they had thought fit to instal a smali but efficient plant. The main reason for getting a butter plant installed was that previously they had been disposing of their whey cream to other companies, which was considered a most unsatisfactory method. By dealing with the whey cream in their own factory they hoped to turn out a large proportion of first-class, butter. The difference between ’first and secondclass butter was about %d per lb. The cost of installing the plant was considered very reasonable. They hoped, in the course of a few years, that they would wipe out the debt of the cost of the butter plant. In the report the shareholders wo't’-d notice that they had taken £lOOO help pay off tlie cost of the bid ter .plant installation. During part pf the season the water supply caused no little trouble. These difficulties lad now been overcome, and they did not anticipate any_ trouble in this direction in the near future. He would like to point out the necessity for bringing to the factory only first-grade milk. They must now put only a first-grade article on the market, or they would all go under. FACTORY MANAGER’S REPORT

The chairman then called on Mr Farley, the manager of the factory, to address the meeting. Mr Farley thought that a word in time would save a lot of trouble later on. If they did not get first-ci?'ss supplies they could not turn out a firstclass article to put on the London markets. He had had a good deal of experience in all classes of dairying, and would be only too pleased to give any assistance to any of the suppliers

who were in difficulties. If required, he would go out to .the suppliers’ farms. Mr Farley resumed his sea: amidst applause. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS. Mr Elvin moved that the retiring , directors should be re-eletccd. Mr Rogers stated that in the opinion of the.retiring directors an election should be held. • . Mr Beck stated that the whole system of electing directors yas wrong. The directors should be appointed for a number of years, and they shouldretire by rotation, two or ; l.Tee at a time. The chairman stated that in the recently drawn up Articles of Association provision had been made to that effect. Nominations were then called for the directorate. Messrs A. H. Rogers. G. Gr,ay, S. S. Murray, R, Millar, H. H. Hicks, C. Dale, J. Whitmore, J. M. Multes, F. Burfoot, F. Gisler, and C. Ansford were nominated. T.he election resulted as follows: Rogers 132, Gray 124, Murray 124, Millar 115, Hicks 109, Dale 78, Ansford 61, Mules 40, Whitmore 54, Burfoot 29, Gisler 50, Messrs Rogers, Gray, Murray, Millar, Hicks, Dale and Ansford were declared elected.