TE HORO CO-OPERATIVE DAIRY CO.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 9 May 1919, Page 3

TE HORO CO-OPERATIVE DAIRY CO.

EXTRAORDINARY MEETING. An extraordinary general meeting of the above company was held in the Public .Hall, Te Horo, on Wednesday night, when resolutions, which -were passed by the required majority of members at an extraordinary general meeting on the 15th April last, were submitted for confirma-Mon.

There were some 70 persons present, and Mr T. 11. AYihdley occupied the chair. '■•■ -

After a slight alteration in the minute*, proposed by Mr Evelyn Maedonald, they were confirmed, after which resolutions, as follows, were passed without comment: —

1, That the words '' that ho is a milk produaer. as hereinbefore defined" in sub-clause (b) of article 14 of the company's articles of association be struck out.

2. That the whole of sub-clause (f) of article bS of the said articles be struck

4. That article numbered 6';3 of table A of the Companies Act, 1908, shall be deluded from the articles of association of the company and the following new article adopted in lieu thereof: — 10A. On a show of hands every member present in person shall have one vote, and upon a poll every member present in person or by proxy shall have one vote for any number of share's up to fifteen held byhini, two votes for any number of shares exceeding fifteen and not exceeding twenty-fivo, three votes for any number of shares exceeding twenty-five and not exceeding fifty, four votes for any number of shares exceeding fifty and not exceeding eighty, and five votes for any number of shares exceeding eighty. No member shall bo entitled to vote in respect' of any share on which there is any pay? meat in arrear.

Resolution No. 6, as follows, however, caused a diversion. It read: — That article numbered 6 of the company's articles of association bo struck out and the following new article be adopted in substitution therefor: —6. It shall be obligatory for every mombcr who is a milk producer to supply to the company in accordance with the regulations and by-laws of the company for the time being in force at all times during the year when tho company is receiving milk, the whole of tho milk (or with the permission of tho directors the whole of tho cream separated from such milk) which shall for the .time being bo produced by such member within a radius of five miles from any of the company's factories, skimming stations, receiving stations, depots' or other places whero milk or creaai is received by the company, provided that any such member may retain a reasonable quantity of such milk or cream for home ■ consumption or for rearing young stock, and may v from time to timo select such of the said places for the delivery of his milk or cream as he shall deem convenient, provided that the directors shall be entitled to deal with such milk as they think fit, and that no member supplying milk from an unregistered dairy* shall bo entitled to participate in tho profits resulting from the sale of milk for .town supply.

Mr Eli Allen protested against its confirmation, and asked what was tho object of wishing to carry such a resolution. He wanted to know what was looming in tie distance. Ho held that many had voted at a previous meeting not knowing what tfiey had done. He considered the factory shareholders had not had a run for their money, and that the resolution would mean selling their birthright. Ho strongly objected to things being tied up, and failed to see what would bo gained if the resolution was carried.

Mr Jensen moved that the resolution be confirmed, and held that tho matter had been fully discussed previously. ' He was sorry to hear Mr Allen speak as he had done, and askod what would Te Horo bo without co-operation. Ho considered it would bo out of date to supply milk to anything but a co-operative concern. " Mr McDonald, in seconding the motion, considered it a step yi the right direction, and one that would prevent suppliers going to other factories. He thought loyalty a big factor, considered they should support a co-operative factory, ancf said it was not right to leavo the factory for a little personal

Cain, Mr J. Fielding held that suppliers were driven away because they were unable te get their by-product, and added that some of the milk sent to Wellington for human consumption ha* been fed to the pigs. He had the factory at heart, had placed his grievance before the directors, and had advocated a milk-weighing machine. It was the only factory he-had seen whore unpleasantness had occurred over the byproduct. Although tho by-product had been well watered there was not enough for all suppliers, and he left the meet-

ing to judge for itself why he had left. He asked, could anyone feed calves on watered by-product?

Mr Allen asked that a letter, previously handed in, be read, but tho chairman refused, pointing out that it hag nothing to do with the present meeting. Tho letter contained tin old grievance, and would be.considered at a directors' meeting on Friday. Mr Fielding: I ask you, Mr Chairman, to read it. You are side-tracking. - The Chairman said Mr Fielding had a just complaint, but it had nothing to do with this meeting. " . Mr Fielding: It has! Mr McDonald rose to a point of order, pointing out that the letter was addressed to the directors, and could-bc SS dealt with at a special meeting, or-at that night's meeting after other' business had been transacted. . The Chairman appealed to the meet, ing as to whether he should read'tie letter or not: He wanted to prove _tc Mr Fielding that ho was not «dsbracking. .

j Mr C. J, Spiers considered the letter one for the directors to deal with, and not-by a general meeting in a wholesale manner. The letter did not touch on the resolution, and was therefore out of. order.

At this stage two or three attempted to speak at once, and to pacify the meeting the chairman consulted the directors relative to the letter, who decided it should not be read. He then ruled the matter out of order.

Mr Fielding: If a weighing machine is put in as I have advocated I will give £5 towards its purchase.

The Chairman called for a show of hands on the resolution, and it was declared carried.

SHAREHOLDERS' MEETING.

LIVELY PROCEEDINGS. \

ALLEGED BAD MANAGEMENT ©F AFFAIRS.

' A meeting of the shareholders of the To Horo Co-operative Dairy Co. was held at To Horo on Wednesday night, when Mr T. H. Windley (chairman of directors) presided. There was a large attendance —it being probably the largest meeting of its kind in. Te Horo.

Mr Evolyn Macdonald stated "that rumours had been afloat anent the factory and the store, and when tho bal-ance-sheet was questioned they were told it was all right. DoH-bts were raised, and in consequence expert investigation had been made. Messrs Brash, Spencer, and Bendall had been asked to attend, but only thetwo former had put in an appearance. He asked that they be heard. ■ Mr Spcncor said he had been asked to make investigations by Mr Windley relative to the state of the store affairs, and had done so. He had found tho books out of order, they being only partially written up. • Mr Brash also made a statement, but at his request tho press representative was asked to make no report, i Mr Windley said that when ho was ' appointed chairman of diroctors he had ; gone to Mr Brash for advico, which had boon given, and was considered by ! the directors to be the best advice they had over received. It, however, came too late. Tho letter advised them to wake up and I'ook after their business. Ho (the chairman) gave Mr Spiers ne credit for withholding.that letter. Mr Ryder, asked how tho late chairman accounted for the good profits of the storo and its present bad position. Mr Spiers said he had advocated buying out tho opposition store, but had been strongly opposed. The condition's ho had made warranted a big profit; he bought at low obb and sold at top notch—that's whero the profit' camo in. He was not the secretary or auditor of tho company, but ho had watched tho shareholders' interests to the best- of his ability. He considered the storo showed a credit of £4OO, and if a true audit was made it would show this amount as a profit. Mr Spencer questioned this statement, and sa-fd it was not so, wbilo the chairman stated that Mr Bcndali had told him ho eoiild not balance the ■ books.

Mr Ryder asked Mr McDo.ugall if it was true that Mr Bendall failed to balanco tho books on six or seven occasions. Mr McDougall declined £5 Sh>' swer, stating he preferred to deal face to face with Mr Bendall. In answer- to Ml Judcr, Mr McDougall said the books were kept under double entry,, and that a balance was only made once a year. Mr Ryder asked if the two auditors would bo willing to audit the books at the end of July. Mr Spencor said if they were in a fit state to audit ho would be pleased to do so, but Mr Brash said it was probable that he would bo leaving New Zcalani. Ho added that the books i should bo kept away from Te Horo—it was not fair to expect a qualified accountant to Hvo in Te Horo. Mr Spencer said he had recommended the same thing. Mr McDonald criticised the management of the company's affairs, and said that though there was no suggestion of criminal wrongdoing, it would be in tho company's interests to have another secretary. Mr McDougall certainly had done his best, and should be "iven every consideration, especially as he was w-ell on in years. He moved that the meeting desire it to be taken ] as a mandate for the directors to obtain the resignation of the secretary, or f ailing his resignation- to discharge him forthwith. Mr MeKonzie seconded pro forma. I Mr 'Jensen said he would like to hear (what the directors had to say on the I matter so that the meeting could judge. ! He asked all not to wait till to-morrow, ■ then talk outside, but if they had any • Jhin" to say. to say it at the present. i time? A lot of talk had been going on ! outside, but he considered the meeting ! room should be the place for discussion, j Mrs Day: The men talk outside, but won't speak np now for our interests. I Mr Fielding appealed to all to be ! sports, and not belittle their secretary. ', If the meeting was not satisfied with ihim. he suggested giving him notice

I and letting him go. i "Mr Ryder said if it had not been for the late chairman the secretary would probably have been : given notice before. ...,. , ; Mr Windley said the late chairman "stuck np" for their secretary, but it . was recognised the company was not a success. Mr Spiers paid a high tribute to Mr . McDougall, stating ho had built the co-op. store from a toy business to a flourishing concern, for which he deserved every credit. Mr McDougall must be credited for doing a certain amount of good work, he was a good average man, and had gone to the factory at the low salary of £169. He had ' offered'to assist in all ways, even to taking off his coat. The concern had ! started from nothing to a turnover of ' nearly- £IOOO per month, and the falling ' off was not entirely doe to the secre|axy. If the directors had, kept things

r to themselves affairs to-day would have 1 been in a better position. ) . The Chairman: Why dida't the direci tors pull together—because they never ' had a chancel Was correspondence or invoices ever put before them? No! j Mr Spiers: I am accused of over- , ruling all the directors; the thing is j preposterous! ,] The Chairman: Tho directors have i wakened up now! '■■ '■ Mr Ryder said the directors wore \ dumbfounded and were to blame for not getting the invoices. j Mr Brash suggested that Mr Mc- ' Dougall be allowed to resign on thrco j months' notice, and considered the mstion should be less drastic. Mr Mc- j Dougall, ho said, had done hard work, given his best, and had the interests of j the company at heart.

Mr Fielding said he was pleased to hear such a good suggestion. Mr McDonald said Mr Spices had been an autocrat, posing as a democrat. The shareholders had suffered, chiefly at the hands o,f the late chairman and secretary. Mr Jamieson proposed, as an amendment to Mr McDonald's motion, that Mr McDougall.be given three months' notice, and that he be paid by the directors for that time. Mr Harkness seconded. The question was asked, AVas it true that Mr McDougall had resigned' Mr Spiers replied that, he had his resignation with" conditions, to be x>laccd before the directors. Mr McDonald asked to add to his motion "that the directors use their .■judgment in. paying Mr McDougall."

Mr Ryder, after conferring with 'his co-directors, said it was agreed to pay th'c secretary in terms of Mr Jumie-

son's amendment. Mr Jamieson 's amendment was eventually, put and carried. Mr McDonald then moved that the shareholders request the resignation or tho late chairman from the directorate. Of the company. Mrs Duggan seconded. Mr Fielding, in opposing the motion, said Mr Spiers had built np the business, and had it not been for him there would have been np factory. He considered him one of the best, one of tho most practical and capable men in the company.

The motion _on being put was lost, after which Mr Spiers returned thanks? for the confidence placed in him. A very long and acrimonious meetijig terminated shortly before 1 a.m. j.