SOUTH OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24423, 8 October 1940, Page 4

SOUTH OTAGO

BALCLUTHA Stirling Dairy Factory Company The fifty-fourth annual meeting of shareholders in the Stirling Dairy Factory Company drew an attendance of over 50 on Saturday night to the board room at Stirling. Mr A. Anderson, chairman of directors, presided. The balance sheet showed a satisfactory state of affairs, and there was a credit balance on the year’s working of £5105 16s 2d. The pigs account showed a loss of £ll4 5s 4d. but the profit on the hardware account (supplies of various goods to suppliers on the co-operative principle) was £SO, and on the motor spirit (petrol) account £59. Returns from milk products had been: Export cheese, £20,150 Is 2d: local sales, £4618 6s 9d; milk sold, £558 0s 3d; cream, £2O 11s 9d; butter, £642 9s 6d; whey, £l90 —a total of £26,179 9s sd. On the expenditure side the biggest items were: Wages. £IB4B 2s fid; materials, £938 6s lid; transport charges, £433 12s 2d; freezing and storage, £344 10s 6d. In the overhead charges the biggest item was administration and office expenses £323 5s 9d, interest £136 5s 3d, and directors' fees £l5O. The annual report stated that the average pay-out for the current season would be 18d for all first-grade butterfat and 17.5 d per lb for second-grade butter-fat. A dividend of 5 per cent, was recommended, absorbing £287 19s. The output of cheese for the season had been 319 tons 6cwt. The chairman, moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, said that the year had been a quiet one, as the directors had been concerned only with the selling of local cheese on the local market. The costs per lb of butterfat manufactured were up by ,143 d, due mainly to the rise in wages and the shorter hours. Although the pigs’ account showed a loss, it should be-remembered that the pigs’ account had paid the factory £l9O for whey given to the pigs. This had the effect of increasing the payout, as the whey otherwise would have been a dead loss. Leaying the whey out of the question, there was an actual profit on the account of £65 14s Bd. All the cheese had been shipped this year. After payment of the bonus of 4d a lb butterfat recommended and the 5 per cent, dividend there would be a carry-forward of £1832 18s 2d.

After answering a number of questions by Mr Selwyn Mosley, the chairman put the motion for the adoption of the report and balance sheet, which was carried. Five nominations were received for the three vacancies on the directorate caused by the retirement by rotation of Messrs J. G. Weir, A. Anderson, and J. K. Wallace. The last-named did not stand again, but the first-named two did, with the addition of Messrs W.'H. S. Willocks, R. C. Millar, and J. S. Mosley. On a ballot, Messrs A. Anderson, W. H. S. Willocks, and R. C. Millar were elected. Tributes were paid to the good work done by Mr Wallace over a period of 21 years and by Mr Weir, who had been a director for 27 years. The recommendation in regard to the dividend was carried, and Mr F. Cooke was reappointed auditor. The directors’ fees were fixed at £l5O as before. It was decided to renew the agreement with Messrs Grace and Sons for the sale of winter milk, which last winter had brought in £558. Mr H. Grace, who was present, said he was prepared to pay Is a gallon for milk from registered sheds and lOd a gallon from unregistered sheds from May to the middle of August. He impressed upon suppliers the need to see that the milk was properly cooled and in good order for human consumption before taking to the factory. Mr George Reid, stock inspector, Balclutha, explained that the Stock Department had been experimenting regarding sterility in cows, and he was now in a position to test bulls for virility, and would be pleased to do that for farmers when required. A special vote of thanks was passed to the cheese-maker (Mr T. Duncan), who had made the best cheese in Otago this season, as shown by his winning the grading competition. When the formal business had been disposed of an enjoyable smoke concert was held, concluding at midnight with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne.” Golf

In the semi-final the knock-out played on the Balclutha links on Saturday Mathewson beat Grace and Robinson beat Jolly. Angling

Although the weather was gloriously fine on Sunday, conditions on the Catlins and Owaka Rivers were not very good for fishing, due, doubtless, to a cold easterly that blew the night before. Of some 15 anglers on those rivers at the week-end not one secured a basket of more than seven trout. For a two-days* trip on those rivers, however, Mr D. McFeeters (Balclutha) and his partner secured 45 nice fish, mostly caught on the creeper. Fishing in the Koau branch of the Molyneux on the Inch-Clutha side, at the week-end, Mr A. Low caught seven trout, the heaviest being Salb. Linen Flax Mill

It Is understood that the Agricultural Department has at present under offer two sites for the proposed linen flax processing mill to be erected in the South Otago district. An option has been taken over 50 acres at Clydevale, and also over a similar area at Finegand, near the freezer and forming part of the Shaw estate, now leased by Mr F. M. Dow. A decision has not yet been reached, but it is probable the matter will be decided this week. ~MILTON^ Dairy Factory Company The twenty-eighth annual meeting of the Milton Co-operative Dairy Factory Company, Ltd., was held on Friday evening, the chairman of directors (Mr John A. Miller) presiding over an attendance of about a dozen suppliers. The annual report showed that the final average pay-out per lb of butter-fat for the season ended July 31 was 17.125 d. The stock of local cheese had been valued at Bid per lb. The output for the year was 100 tons 2cwt. !41b, while 29.5951 b of milk was separated. The directors recommended that a dividend of 4 per cent, on paid-up capital be paid, absorbing £76 11s 7d. The balance sheet showed that m the manufacturing and marketing account sales of export cheese had relaised £7045 13s Bd, while cheese to the value of £7ll 14s 4d had been scld locally. A profit of £126 17s 9d was made in this account. Fixed assets of the company stood at £1697, floating assets at £1053 19s sd, and shares in other companies at £3BO. Moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet the chairman stated that the output had increased by 14 tons over that of the previous year and this could be considered very satisfactory. Although all requisites, etc., had been much dearer, the extra cost of manufacture had been more than covered by the increased output, and was actually id per lb less than the previous year. Local sales had been

less, but the company could still give 2d per lb over the leading butter factories as an Inducement to suppliers. He (the speaker) offered congratulations to the manager (Mr J. Begg), who was still able to hold his place with any other manager, and was the only manager the company had had during its 28 years’ operations. The two retiring directors, Messrs C. R. Sheat and R. J. Cockerill, were re-elected for a further term, and Mr J. J. Lane, R.A., was re-elected auditor. The directors’ fees were fixed at £l7.

Replying to a vote of thanks to the staff, Mr Begg stated that the incoming season would be a very difficult one for obtaining stores, and remarked that some had already been lost through enemy, action on the seas. He reported that the present supply cf milk was nearly double that at the same time last year. Votes of thanks to the directors, press, and chairman concluded the meeting. Statement of Statistics The following statement of statistics was presented to the annual meeting of the Daily Factory Company on Friday evening (the figures for the previous season being given in parentheses); Number of suppliers. 34 (32); pounds of milk received, 2,201,807 (1,901,021); pounds of butter-fat from milk, 88,861.73 (75,978.09); average butter-fat test of milk, 4.003 (3.996); total charges per lb butter-fat, 4.460 (4.702). In cheesemaking, the figures were:— Pounds of milk, 2,172,212 (1,870,786); pounds of butter-fat from milk supplied, 87,684.42 (74,725.84); average butter-fat test of milk, 4.003 (3.994); pounds of cheese, 224,238 (194,705); pounds of milk to make 11b cheese, 9.686 (9.608); pounds of chese to 11b butter-fat, 2.557 (2.606); average grade of chese, 93.059 (93.172). Milk grade percentages; First, 96.568 (96.22); second. 3.432 (3.78). Soldiers’ Parcels As a result of the splendid response to the chairman’s appeal at the annual wind-up social of the Toko Football Club, the sum of approximately £7 5s was given towards a fund for sending Christmas parcels to members and ex-members serving overesas with the forces. Thirteen 10s parcels were forwarded on Saturday. Golf

In the Women’s Championship of the Toko Golf Club, played on the local links in delightful weather on Saturday, only two g imes were decided, Mrs W. George defeating Miss N. Vidal and Mrs J. R. Wilson defeating Miss M. Gray. Summer Sports Glorious weather prevailed for the opening of the tennis and cricket seasons on Saturday, and the exceptionally good attendance at the lawn tennis courts augurs well for a highly successful season. A Yankee tournament, in which about 36 players competed, was played, and resulted in a win for Mrs J. M. Martin and the Rev. S. T. Nicholls.

There was only a small attendance at the cricket ground, and net practice was indulged in. The Milton Club will find difficulty in fielding a teaip this season owing to members enlisting in the forces. Church Anniversary

The eighty-sixth anniversary of the founding of tne Presbyterian Church in the Milton district was celebrated with special services in the church and at Moneymore on Sunday, when the services were taken by the Rev. O. T. Baragwanah, 8.A., of Balclutha. Retiring offerings at all the services were for the Presbyterian Chaplains’ Emergency Fund. Special anthems were rendered by the choir, Mr Baragwanath being the soloist. The anniversary social will be held this evening, when the Rev. C. J. Tocker, of Invercargill, will deliver an address. Personal

Prior to severing her connection with the firm of Messrs James Gray and Sons, Ltd., Miss Jean Sheat, who is shortly to be married, was the guest of the staff at the residence of Mr and Mrs Gray. Games and music whiled away the time, and at a suitable interval Mr Gray presented Miss Sheat with a dinner set. Mr A. R. Martin, who has entered camp with the Fourth Reinforcements, was also a guest of honour, and presented with a waterproof watch and money belt.

TAHAKOPA Lawn Tennis Club At the annual meeting of the Tahakopa Lawn Tennis Club recently there was a fair attendance. Mr J. Blair presided, and, presenting the annual report, stated that- the past season had been very successful., The top-dressing of the courts had been carried out by members of the dub, and the courts were in good condition for the coming season. He referred to the departure from the club of Mr J. S Crossan, who had been a valued member. The club had made a presentation to Mr Crossan before he had left as a member of the Fourth Reinforcements. The financial statement was satisfactory. The election of officers resulted: — President, Mr J. Blair: secretary and treasurer. Miss M. Simpson: committee— Mrs J. Henry, Misses J. Griffin, E. Pullar, Messrs J. Henry, J. Hore, A. Cook, D. McFaul, J. Austin, J. McKenzie, C. Nolan.