N.Z. DAIRY COMPANY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4680, 28 March 1924, Page 2

N.Z. DAIRY COMPANY.

MEETING OF PLAINS SUPPLIERS.

The quarterly meeting of the Hauraki Plains suppliers to the N.Z. Cooperative Dairy Co., Ltd., was held at Ngatea on Wednesday last. There were presentMr D. Fulton, acting-, chairman pf directors, Mr W. E. Hale, local director, Mr A. J. Sinclair, act-ing-manager, and about 40 suppliers. In opening the meeting Mr Fulton said that the position Of the company’s affairs up to the present was very satisfactory, though the drv stpiimer had caused a slight decrease in the amount of butter-fat supplied. The company’s policy of consigning the whole of its output had again proved the best paying proposition.

Mr Sinclair explained the previous #eison’s payout of Is 6.45 d and the prospects for the present season. In .regard to the local factory, he paid a tribute to the manager and staff and suppliers for the quality of the output. During the months of December and January 100 per cent, of the output had been graded by the Government grader as superfine. In December 87.4 pei; cent, of the cream supplied wa,s graded superfine, 12 4 per cent, first grade, and .2 per cent. second grade, while in January the percentage was 87.6 superfine and 12 38 first grade.

In common with the rest of New Zealand, the quality of cheese sent forward by the company was not up to that of previous years. However, strenuous action had been taken. Mr Sinclair explained the marketing of the company's products in the United Kingdom at great length. In regard to the cartage of cream to the various factories, the company h id decided that it would be better to retain the letting of contracts in its own hands. The present system had ih many eases proved unsatisfactory. Tn some places there was now an official carter and also an unofficial one. This overlapping was a wastage. The cost of cartage from within a radius of twelve miles from a factory or a railway station was guaranteed not to exceed %d per pound of butter-fat to the supplier. The local committees would be consulted on many points. The* direct deliveiy-premium would oe cut out except where a supplier delivered cream to the factory in his own cart. Mr Sinclair stated that if a man delivered his cream to the factory in his own cart he would receive, when the payout was Is sd, Is 5%d. If the cream was delivered to a railway station iti the supplier’s own cart and the freight was paid by the company the supplier would receive Is sd. When the cream was carted by a cream carter direct to the factory the payment would be Is 4%d.

Afte- considerable discussion on this matter Mr R. T. Williams moved that tne scheme as outlined be approved with the exception tbat.it bo a recommendation that the farthing for direct delivery be deleted. Mr E. W. Harris seconded, and tfce motion was carried unanimously. A further recommendation was that a handyman should be employed at the various factories to keep suppliers' cans in order.