CASEIN FACTORY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5295, 4 July 1928, Page 3

CASEIN FACTORY.

THE NGATEA PROPOSAL. NO DECISION REACHED. The advisability of establishing a ca.sein factory at Ngatea was discussed ata meeting of 14’ Ngatea farmers last evening. Mr J. Darlington., convener of the Local Suppliers’ Committee, presided, and in opening the meeting said that many farmers were of the opinion that it would pay to give up pig-rais-ing if some other secondary industry could be established. He h,ad no information on the subject, but perhaps Mr W. E. Hale, the local director, or. Mr C. S. Foster, the factory manager, would know something of the master. In reply to a question Mr Hale said that as far as he knew 600 cows would be. necessary to establish a casein factory. The cost would be, roughly, £3OOO or £4ooo’, and suppliers would be required to take up casein shares in addition to their butter 1 shares.

The market for casein, he said, fluctuated considerably, a;s. buyers were in the habit of buying one or two years’ requirements at once. The result was that these buyers would be off tlie market for a year O r two. The company had in the past withheld its casein, from the market for twelve months on occasion, and this had, proved satisfactory. The cost of the factory would have to be underwritten by suppliers taking up contributing shares. Suppliers would have to give a guarantee to supply the casein factory for a term of years. Full ■milk would be delivered to the factory once a day, .and it would be separated at the casein factory and the cream sent to the butter factory. It was possible that only one man would be required to run the factory, although .an assistant might be necessary during the flush. Many details were discussed, and' it was pointed out tba,t a casein factory at Ngatea would be disadvantageously Situated for the daily transportation of the half-manufactured casein to the railway.

. The chairfhan pointed out that notices of the meeting had been sent to 45 suppliers. It was necessary, before anything could be decided upon, to ascertain how many cows could be guaranteed for a casein, factory. . Several farmers present explained that until their roads were metalled they could not supply. In view of the paucity of information on the subject many settlers present would n'ot express ,an opinion on whether they would supply, andl it wa.s decided to adjourn until after the general meeting of the Ngatea suppliers, on Thursday evening, when it was. hoped that more details would be forthcoming.