CHEESE SUPPLIERS’ MEETING

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 147, 26 August 1926, Page 3

CHEESE SUPPLIERS’ MEETING

THE MATAMATA FACTORY Review of Operations. The annual meeting. of supplier and shareholders to the N.Z.C.D.C Ltd. Matamata cheese factory wa held ca Thursday, when the opera Lons for the past year were it vie wee Mr. E. C. Taylor, chairman of th suppliers’ committee, presided over ; good attendance of shareholders. Tli officials of the company present ware Messrs. Dynes Fulton (chairman o directors), Pastor Clark (director) C. Pailane (outside organiser), £ Dixon (cheese Superintendent) and 3 B. Given (local organiser). In apologising for the absence o Mr. F. E. Hughes (a director), th< chairman moved a motion of condol ence with Mr. Hughes on the loss o: his young son.— Carried in silence. COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The following report was presentee by the suppliers’ committee:“The committee have had a verj easy time of it this past season a/ compared with the work the previous season’s committee had to do. Ther< were very few matters of a .contentious nature to.be dealt with, and the work was mostly of a routine nature Mr. Dixon attended all the meetings and kept the committee in touch witl the market conditions, stocks on hand and other matters concerning our factory. “ Alteration to Factory Roof.—The company’s architect reported that the factory roof required extensive repairs. Your committee would not take the responsibility of authorising this work to be done, but thought it a matter for this meeting to decide. The alterations were of a costly. nature. especially on top of the company’s expert’s advice (when taking over the factory) that we were getting a building in first-class c 7 er. We are aware that the roof is leal " 'g in places, and this no doubt will h e to be seen to at once, but your committee still think that the work as outlined by the architect could be curtailed considerably. However, it is for this meeting to decide after hearing the management’s views on the question.

“ Drainage.—During the year the committee approved of the work to be done to connect up the factory with Ihe town drainage system. We requested that the work be done by tender, which resulted in the cost being less than the engineer’s estimate. . “ Cheese Crates.-—The committee considered that the crates were costing too much, and we put a remit in--o the half-yearly * conference of ehesse committeemen "held in Hamilton. The matter was dealt with by Mr. Gocdfellow, who intimated that a very substantial rebate would be forthcoming at the end of the. season. This rebate dees not appear on the balance-sheet, and we would take this opportunity of asking the management for an explanation. “ Manager. We received Mr. Barnes’ resignation on account of illhealth, but on going into the matter with him we finally agreed to allow him six weeks’ leave on full pay It try and regain his health. Mr. Barnethas managed our factory very satis factorily and the committee were anx 'ous to do everything possible to refain his services. I am glad to say Mr. Barnes has returned fully restor-! od to health, and is now busy overhauling plant and getting ready to tart cheesemaking on Saturday next, (last Saturday). “ In conclusion, the committee wish , o thank Mr. Dixon for the prompt nanner in which he always attended o any matters requiring adjustment. We also wish to place on record our hanks for the way in which Mr. Barnes and his staff served the company during the past season. “ As chairman of the committee, I wish to thank the members of the committee for the support they have given me during the season. RETURNING SUPPLIERS. In the course of a short address, Mr. Pailane commented that a large 'umber of hew suppliers had come to -he company this year, including many old supporters, some of whom bad been supplying other companies for one, two, and three years, the ex'•ra cows represented totalling about 1000. Over 1.15 meetings .bad been held, most of which be bad attended; and he could say that there had never been a mere loyal attitude shown. The company had had a very satisfactory year. Moreover, su ; i < rs of other factories were slsv> h« <;dis posed than formerly , ; was

greater necessity than ever for high r qualify, as the Cealtoi Board would /rent would be on a differential basis, according to giade. A GOOD SHOWING. At Mata mate, 94.55 per cent of the output had been graded • superfine, 5.64 first grade, and only .009, a . merely nominal amount, second grade. < For the previous season the average grade was 91 points, but tins year .. 91.56, showing a slight improvement. it was silghtly under the average for . the whole of the factories, but was good for so large an output. • THE PAYOUT. Last year the factory had had been among the highest in payout in the ? Dominion, but this season the result was not so satisfactory. The company had always followed a consignment policy, which had proved the better method over a series of years, this year being the exception that proved the rule, the selling factories having done better. The strike at Home had had a very adverse effect, the mining population being the greatest users of cheese; had it not been for the strike the consignment policy would have come out very well. The cheese taken into stock had been assessed at the very. low figures of 84s and 86s, and there was good reason to anticipate that these prices would be exceeded. The average advance payment was Is 5.13 d, with an estimated bonus of 1.82 d, total Is 6.95 d. STATISTICS. I The following statistics were enumerated: Capital cost, | £12,091 ; subscribed capital, £14,294 ; paid up, £8054; pounds of milk, 18,798,912 ; average test, 3.50 ; pounds butter-fat, 714,184; pounds of cheese, 1,840,060; pounds of milk to pound of cheese, 10.21 ; ratio, 2.576 ; whey cream per 1001 b of butter-fat received, 4.85. Mr. Dixon commented that had they not struck such a period of low prices the payout would have averaged another Id per lb. The output was 821 tons, a decrease of 21 tons as compared with the previous year. There was a small rise in the average test, which was good for a factory with such a large turnover, and they had not far to go to reach a 4 test. | ROOM FOR THE BEST. Mr. Fulton dwelt upon the need of quality, for there was always room at the top for the best. He predicted that the advent of the Control Board would prove of considerable benefit to the suppliers; it marked a new and promising era for the industry. All other sections of the community had benefitted greatly by organisation, and so would the dairymen. He 'would also appeal to them to go in for herdtesting, which was essential to an economical increase of output. COST OF FERTILISERS. \ The company, Mr. Fulton said, had j taken up the question of cheaper fertilisers, and in conjunction with others had been able to bring pressure to bear to some effect. The general f manager (Mr. H. H. Sterling) would f rave an important statement to make , at the annual meeting. Pastor Clark briefly addressed the meeting, on the .need of unanimity in the industry. He could assure them that they had been subject to ‘ control ” all along at the other end, and it was time they had some control of their own. Mr. Veitch, M.P., had made what appeared to be a veiled threat when he referred to the debts owed by the farmers in some quarters, and advising them to go slowly. Evidently time was wanted to bring pressure to bear on such farmers to ’ pay these debts. The industry waS bristling with both good and bad things, and the greatest need to-day was unanimity. Let them all stick together to maintain and improve the position they had won, and the industry" they had built up by their own efforts. QUESTIONS. In answer to Mr. B. C. Taylor, Mr. said the increase in subscrib'd capital was due to transfers from witter to cheese. There would be no danger of over - capitalisation, as shares could be resumed. The latter statement was supported by Mr. Fulton. Regarding crates, in reply to Mr. Finlayson, Mr. Dixon said the price had been 2s 9d. A credit of 6d per crate had been given, making 2s 3,d ' o all factories. Matamata included. I Mr. C. S. Green wanted to know I why £6OO was on the sheet for inter- | est.

Mr. Dixon said the explanation was that the -prev’ous interest payment was only a prr I payment, and the remainder was Hided in 'he present

statement. It was estimated on the difference between the capital paid up and the cost of the factory. Next year the debit would be a stationary one He would see chat a full explanatio was made to the committee and a details given. Mr. Taylor said he was not altc gether satisfied that a full rebate c (id per crate had been made to Mata mata, and he would recommend tha the committee jnj into it. Mr. Green wanted to know what le< up to the Glen Afton strike. Mr. Fulton explained that an at tom ot to secure “ job control ” wa at the bottom of the whole thing. Tli company had faithfully carried ou its part of all agreements. Mr. Finlayson said that some com ponies had paid interest on shares. Mr. Fulton replied that the com pany had agreed years ago not to pa: interest on capital, but it was one o the few that resumed shares. If thej paid interest the suppliers would hav< to continue to pay interest to share holders who were no longer suppliers The company allowed the resumption of shares up to 75 per cent. Mr. J. Weir thought the old pioneers were entitled to interest on thei] money, whether supplying or not • Riverdale paid six per cent, and Norj manby four per cent. Mr. Fulton: Normanby does not re . surne. They were not by any mean.' ' all pioneers that went out. To Mr. T. Walker, Mr. Parlane explained that the payment of share capital on the one hand, and the depreciation on the ether would inevitably wipe out the unpaid share capital, and the only thing that woulc work to the contrary would be an in crease in plant, due to increased supply. It was only necessary to covei I the cost of the factory. Mr. Fulton, in answer to Mr. J Weir, said the company was still going into the matter of export of pigs, but had not yet anything to report. The architect reported on the alterations needed to strengthen the roof supports of the factory, costing £3BO. To re-roof in iron would cost £GO more. Mr. Walker was opposed to the expenditure; they wanted to wipe off the debt. Mr. T. Prowse said that if the factory would withstand the vibration of the glaxo machinery it would stand that of the cheese plant, except that a few leaks in the roof required repairing. Mr. Finlayson: Until we get a better payout. (Laugther). Mr. C. D. Rollett proposed that the recommendation be sent to the director that owing to the large expenditure

iiivuiveu, me directors ana committee confer on the matters.—Carried. SUPFCIERS’ COMMITTEE. The old committee was re-elected, less Mr. McKean, who did not wish to go on. The other four are Messrs. B. C. Taylor, T. Walker, T. Prowse, and A. Crowther. On the motion of Mr. Fulton, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the committee. Mr. Walker paid a tribute to the able assistance of the chairman of committee- (Mr. Taylor), who was very useful in finance and general investigating. He would also like a tribute paid to Mr. Dixon, who had rendered every assistance. (Applause). Mr. Taylor remarked that there appeared to be every chance of getting a good bonus. A vote of thanks to the visiting officials was carried by acclamation and a vote of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting.

I can't pass that spot under Blush House without thinking kindly of the days when I earned my living there. Perhaps I’ll go hack to it again one day. You never know what fortune lias in store. “For a year I have been in Paris. There I found recognition almost at. once. I have had leisure' tfo study men and women in cafes and streets and public parks as never before. But still the Nottinghamshire miners, whose bulging muscles were my first inspire tion to creative work remain my chief subjects. “Now I live in an old garage which I use as •& studio and my cnly model is a pet Turkish snake gh en me by a friend. It is quite harmless, and its movements t» >ght me a *reat deal about rhythm, though children with whom it has attempted to make friends don’t like its movements.