PLAINS DAIRY COMPANY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4591, 22 August 1923, Page 3

PLAINS DAIRY COMPANY.

ANNUAL MELTING. The eighth annual meeting of the Hauraki Plains Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., was held at Turua on Friday last. The chairman of directors, Mr A. H. Rogers, presided over a large attendance of suppliers. In presenting the annual report and balance-sheet for the year ending June 30, 1923, Mr Rogers said that during the season the company had made 356 tons of cheese from 8,128,5761 b of milk, containing 306,6261 b of butter-fat. The average test was 3.86,. and the yield 2.681 b of cheese to the pound of butter-fat and 10.11 b of milk to the pound of cheese. The shrinkage on cheese from factory to sale was 1.09 per cent., and reflected great credit on the factory manager, Mr Stephens. -The cost of manufacture showed a reduction on the previous year and compared very favourablv -with the Dominion average. The cost of production to f.o.b. was 4.49 d, compared with 5.39 d the previous seasonThe directors were very pleased to report that there has been a great improvement in the grade of cheese, f there having been made a total of 4815 crates, of which only 24 were Second-grade. The average for the season was 91.35 points. In order that this standard could be maintain- . ed or improved upon the directors again urged upon all suppliers to do . their utmost to bring at all times milk of first quality only. ' The whey butter manufactured during the season amounted to 634 tons. The company had manufactured cheese during the early part of the season, and acting ph what had been considered sound advice from London had gone wholly into butter-making for the last three months of the year. Unfortunately this change over was not in the best interests of milk suppliers, and consequently the payout to them would not be as high as would have been the case had all cheese been.made. The average payment io suppliers for cheese-making for the period when the factory was making cheese only was Is 9.92 d. For butter-making 4’,162,8581b of milk containing 167,872.91 b of fat had been received, and. 336,870%1b ol cream containing 128,9281 b cf fat; The buttei manufactured had amounted to 157%-tons, and the over-run had been 18.65 per cent. Had cheesemaking been continued all the season the output would have been 748 tons, or about four tons less than the previous season. The supply for the first six months of the year showed a considerable increase over the same period for the previous year, but ow-. ing to the unfavourable weather conditions in the latter part of the season the supply fell away heavily. The installation of the . butter-making plant had been justified, but in future the directors would want very convincing evidence that it would pay before advocating changing over. In any case, the matter would be put before the suppliers before anything was decided. % - The average advance payment for the season for milk suppliers was is 3.66 d, amd for cream suppliers Is 3.32 d. The estimated surplus of £6460 4s 9d would give a further average. .< payment to milk suppliers of 3.1 d, to cream suppliers .51d.. In considering these payments it must be borne in mind that the deduction for special shares would equal an additional halfpenny pen pound of butterfat, the share capital interest nearly an additional farthing per pound but-ter-fat, and, further, the cream- suppliers would receive in addition to the above one farthing per pound butter-fat for direct delivery cream during the period milk frem cheese suppliers was separated at the factory, for butter-making. The unsold butter and cheese at June 30 last had been taken in at the value of the advances made upon them. The directors recommended a payment of 2d per. lb. butter-fat to milk suppliers. Unfortunately,, the butter position did not at present warrant a further payment until final realisations came tp hand. It must be remembered when comparing these figures with those of other factories that, cheese-making was only carried out for a few ... months. In reference to the financial operations of the company the directors were proud to state that these showed a very satisfactory position, and that the overdraft had been reduced by £2OOO during the year. The factory was working very satisfactorily, and showed a saving in working expenses of nearly £3OOO in the year. The factory was never in better order than at present, and the staff was loyal and rendering good service to the company. The suppliers should be thankful that they had such conscientious men as Mr Stephens and Mr Green in charge of their affairs. The report, was adopted. Many questions were asked by suppliers and answered by the directors. An election to fill three vacancies on the directorate caused by the .retirement in accordance with the company’s Articles of Association of Messrs A. H. Rogers and S. S. Murray and the resignation of Mr' C. ' Gray was then proceeded with, and resulted in the re-election of Messrs Rogers and Murray and the election of Mr S. W. Williams. Mr Cutfield was re-appointed auditor. Mr H. Hicks moved, and Mr J. Mules seconded, a vote of thanks to Mr G. Gray, the retiring director.— Carried. A vote of thanks to the factory manager, Mr R. M. Stephens, and to the secretary,. Mr J, E. Green, was also carried. Mr Robinson gave notice of motion that the financial year end on May 31, and that the annual meetings be held in the evening. Mr Burfoot gave notice of motion to amend the Articles of Association so as to give each shareholder one j vote only, irrespective of the numof shares held. _ It was decided, on the motion of Mr Rogers, seconded by Mr Luke, that a telegram be sent; to Mr T. W. M.P., urging him to do all in his power to have the Dairy Produce ?Sxport Control Bill made law.