Levin Dairy Company.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 18 May 1918, Page 2

Levin Dairy Company.

A meeting of suppliers to and , shai'ohohlers in the Levin Co-op-erative Dairy Company was heltl in the Century Hall yesterday afternoon to consider matters of interest to the industry. Mi" J as. Prouse, chairinan of directors, occupied tlie chair, and there was an attendance of about tliiHy. .Mr Prouse said it Mas not a lartfe gathering, hut lie. took it that every farmer who stayed at home considered that he had something more important to do. Tin 1 meeting had been called ill continuance of the meetings helc. earlier in the year 111 which farmers ill the lieatherlea district were chiefly concerned. It was felt that the time \v;is then unsatisfactorv to go 111(0 alterations and new erections, requiring a great, deal of time, because the sfafi' was so fullv employed with other duties. 'J he directors then gave la promise that a- meeting would be called in the slack season to discuss alterations or extensions that were thought: desirable. The meeting yesterday was in fulfilment of that promise and he invited anyone present to make any suggestion in tliat direction they thought fit. 'I here was no response to the invitation, which Jlr l'rouse took as an indication of the suppliers' satisfaction with the present con ditions. He went on to refer to the respective prices of butter and cheese. The cheese men would ■my they had had better prices than tlie butter men in the past season. Perhaps they had, and the speaker said it was generally recognised that those who had had the buying of their butter for the Imperial Government had not given its full value. "Either we should have got more or the cheese makers should have got less. We did not ask for the last fraction. We only asked for a fair tiling and as one of the chief divisions of the industry we did not get fair play. The butter fat that goes to make butter is just as valuable as the butter fat that goes to make cheese, and yet it was not paid for ' at. equal rates. The question of the sale of next season's butter is going forward and tliis point is to be provided against. We are asking' that the sale should be effected on the basis of a parity of values—that is that the supplies'of butter fat for butter shall get the same value as-those who supply 1 for cheese. It is clearly recognised that in the past the butter I has not realised its full value." 1 Wit h regard to casein, Mr J Prouse said tlie demand of the ' moment was for food stuffs. Casein was not a food product, but ' it had a great future before it. I The directors considered it three 1 years ago, and were impressed by i" its advantages, but.-found that 1 in the circumstances they would s have just fallen short of the re--5 quired quantity, and the quantity 1 wa.s the essence of the contract, r Casein manufacture was the future complement of the- butter in- ■' dustry and the question would ■ come up again, as well as whether they should go in for cheese or i dried milk. Mr A. C. McDonald said it was i quite apparent that everyone was • well satisfied with the article Mr >, Smellie and his staff were produc- > ing. ,lle enquired as to whether .the Directors had any figures as - to the cost of installing a cheese plant. Mr Prouse said they had, but ir must be remembered thai galvanised iron was unprocurable and other materials were difficult to get. The cost would be about £12,000 or £15,000. Mr Thompson moved that the Directors be recommended to stick to butter. Now that they had the plant installed he thought this was fairest to the company and in the long run would be best for the suppliers. Mr McDonald seconded the motion which was carried unanimously. Mr Prouse thanked the suppliers for their attendance and the meeting closed.