THE DAIRY SEASON

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 238, 25 September 1939, Page 2

THE DAIRY SEASON

MEETING OF OPOTIKI ASSN,

REDUCTION IN OUTPUT

The attendance of shareholders at the’ annual meeting of the Opotiki. Dairy Association, Jieicli' in the Regent Hall on Saturday, was probably the smallest for a very lengthy period, the. main reason, no doubt being the unsettled conditions brought about "by the war. The chair was occupied by the chairman of directors, Mr. W. J. Connor. The minutes of the previous, annual meeting were read by ’ the secretary and carried. The report and balance-sheet (previously circulated to members) were taken as read. Before commencing the usual business, Mr. Connor referred to the. death of Mr. Reg. Aickin, of Aucklaiuls, and! said that deceased had always had the interests ef the association at heart. Mr. Aickin had also, during the marketing association’s negotiations, been of great assistance.

The chairman also referred feelingly to the recent- death .of one of the company’s auditors, Mr. Chas. Fleming, stating that he had been a very conscientious and capable accountant. Mr. Connor then moved the adoption -of the report and balance-sheet.

The chairman, in his opening icm'arks, expressed regret that the output for the season had been down so much. That was due -to a great ex-

tent to climatic conditions, but -labour' difficulties, had also had an influence. Ho hoped the present season would, he better, but the August figures were much below the figure for the previous August. The price for the new season had not yet been -fixed but conditions'"had now changed considerably. It had been decided by tire Dairy Council that they should nut. do anything to hamper*.the Government in the difficulties to be faced.. It was probable that the British Gov.ernment would take over New Zealand’s butter .output. The chairman dealt very clearly with a. ■number of items on the balancesheet. Special reference was made to the work clone by the company on the pig farm. Additions to factory planttotalled over £3OOO. The chairman then formally moved, the adoption of the report and balancesheet. Seconded by Mi'. A. K. Martin. Mr. Martin referred to the brief, reference to the guaranteed price by the chairman. He stated that a committee had now been set up to go infothe matter of farm preduction. lie He (the speaker) thought- they should continue to strive tor the establishment •of the principle that tanners should be put- in the position of being able to recover costs. He referred t'o the way carpenters were being paid to build huts in the military camps. Mr.Martin concluded his remarks by saying that no one could go «n producing at it loss. Mr. Connor said that he had only .referred to- his own'remarks as a chairman. Anyone could bring the matter up as general business. Mr. Martin said he would also likes it to be noted that the overrun bad jumped up again. Mr/ Beg. "Walker then dealt at sonic length with' the question ot overrun and thought it inadvisable for any factory to have a high overrun. He thought it would be fairer and better for the industry as a whole to have a low overrun. Mr. h. Holman asked how the profit, from the pig farm compared with the amount previously received from the sale of buttermilk under the old system. in reply M.V. Connor said the factory had experienced a bad season but next year they- hoped to do better. Mr. "R. Walker saidi that the directors could lie congratulated cn tlm results from the pig farm ior the seas-

The motion dealing with the report and balance-sheet was then put by tliechairman and carried without dissent. Mr. -Martin contended that the'high, overrun was leading the farmers into a false position and was playing into the hands .of the Government. Auditor. —Mr. T. H. Pearson was re-appointed auditor. Mr. Pearson has. now held this position for L 4 years. On the motion of Mr. Gow, the remuneration was fixed as previously. Directors.—The retiring directors.. Messrs. Connor and Bnigent, were reelected unopposed. Both thanked the shareholders for the confidence again, j expressed in their work. , f General Business.

Mr. Li. Holman spoke at’ length on the question of non-delivery of cream

dockets ill' cans and asked if tl»e trouble could be rectified. The chairman said, the directors would deal with the matter and he would be pleased to assist personally in rectifying any trouble. The manager (..Mr. .Sinclair). ■ said that, every effort was made to give satisfaction hut "the human element had to be considered. Mr. Martin referred to the changed half-holiday, add!.Mr. Joblin suggested that the' factory store he kept open on Saturday afternoons. —In reply Air. Connor said the store had always been •kept open on Saturdav afternoons, and this practice would continue. DIRECTOR’S REPORT Tiio directors’ report was.- presented ns follows : Output.—-The make ol butter for the year ‘was 2-181 tons being .488 tons, less than the previous year. Pay out.—Advance Initterfat payments totalling £2897(53 Gs 2d have been made representing an average payment over all grades of 16.37 d. per r lb, Tlie amount now available for distribution is £19.899 8s 2d which your directors propose to allocate as follows.-A further payment of 10/lCid ■.r- 1 nor lb. ever the whole year—£l7.66B Is id. Pay 3:{ per cent, interest on paid up capital at 81/7/38' £1049 3s 6d. Balance to cover taxes and carry forward—£llß2 3s 4d. Total, £19,899 8s 2d. This will bring the average payment over all grades of Initterfat to 16.312(1 pci- lb. The average payment over all grades for the previous season was 14.8'31d. per lb. Cream Cartage: The total costs inclined by individual suppliers (over olid above the Company’s collection .set vice) was £39G 12s 2d which represents .021(1. per lb. on total number of lbs. of Initterfat received by the Company from all sources. Stocks: Stocks of butter have been valued at Government Guaranteed prices. Local Market-.—Messrs. C. Aickin and Sons continue to render excellentservice in the distribution of Opotiki butter oil the Auckland market. Aom directors take this opportunity of expressing to the members of this coinpan v their deep sense of loss in the death of Mr. R. A. Aickin, on 17th. l-'ebniary last, and of bearing testimony to Ids high standard of cpmiih rein I morality and exemplary busiucs- methods. The thirty-si.\ years of invariabic faithful and efficient service as (Mir Auckland agent ivill remain as a monument of integrity to his memory by the members of this company. Pig Karin. —the year's operations show a nett return of £421 6s IG'd lor hut term ilk. election cf Two Directors. —Noiuinatu.es for the office of director will be received at tlio office ol the company op till 6 p.m. on I* riday, —2ml. September. 1939. The retiring diirectors arc .Messrs. A\\ J. C onnor and E. J. Paigciu. who being eligible, offer themselves h r re-election. Auditors. —It is with sincere regretthat your directors record the recent ami untimely death ol the late All. C • ||. Kleming ami bear testimony to tin- faithful and efficient services which he rendered during the past eight years. Mr. T. H. Pearson, retiring auditor. again otters himself tor re-elc< tion. Employees : .Your directors and management record their grateful appicciation of the loyal and faithful services of the eiiiploNees of the company during the past year. Allowances. — It u recommended that the directors’ allowances for the coining year he the same as last yeai.

Statistics Included in the statistics are the lolti>infigures : N ll iiiher of suppliers ; previous year ■j'-'r. current year 575. Pounds oi' trt-ain received 13.913.U91. 11,5(32.81)/. i'< unds of hutterlat from cream 5,501,- (;>,>. 4,523.035. Average Imt-terfat test o 1 cream 311.51. 39.13. Overrun, 30.91, 32.87. Average grade percentages: .t est 73.498. 78.085: first 34.031, 3c.: >61. second 1.881. .351. .Ur. -Martin again reierred to the need lor striving to see that fanners v, re in a pcsitiou to recover costs and appealed to the directors to give cons'deration to this aspect. Mr. Connor, in reply, said that tire directors in the -past’ had! striven, to get a lair price for the tanner and they would continue along those lines. Mr, Martin added that whatever the Government wanted the tanners to do they should see that the farmin's were able to} recover costs. He ' iVtCsure that, every fair-minded man v.euld believe, in that.. “ Mr. ,\icol referred to the vveigh(.Cominued on Page 4)