CLEVEDON.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 50, 29 June 1915, Page 1

CLEVEDON.

i Wairoa Dairy Factory.

Annual Meeting of Sup-

pliers.

Lively Proceedings.

The above meeting was held on Saturday last, at Clevedon, Mr H. Walsh presiding. A large number of suppliers were present, and the proceedings were lively. Mr A. E. Bailey was deputed to take the minutes of the meeting.

The annual report, as submitted by Mr J. McKnight, manager of the Wairoa South Dairy Company, contained the following references to the past season's workings, viz: —He had been allowed the privilege of working on the same lines during the past season as he had dene in previous seasons. The selling price of butter reached a high figure and it was maintained throughout the season, but the nett result ha.l not been so gratifying. Had the high prices ruled during limes of psace the nett results would have been better. Heavy expenses, amounting to £ll3 18s sd, were incurred itLselling 275 boxes of butter on the Locdnn market. Acting on the principle of last year he endeavoured to. maintain a monthly price, which would compare favourably with other dairy companies. He claimed to have upheld that policy and to substantiate his statement quoted the following payments, viz.: For September month, 12d; October to April, inclusive, llj'l; and May, Is ljd, and in addition he had decided to pay a bonus lor the season of one penny farthing per lb for butter-fat received within a radius of eight miles, with one condition, viz , That cartage be deducted at the rate of cinesixteenths of a penny per lb butter fat, this being the cost rf carting and separating milk for the season. The payment! for butter during the season had averaged la Id per lb for butter fat.

Mr Faucett complained that the suppliers understood that they were - to be paid for their butter-fai on the basis of toe Londun values and further complained that no arrangements were made at the previous annual meeting whereby a charge was to have been made for the cartage of butter-fat. A voice: Did Mr McKnght state I at the previous annual meeting that he would bs making a charge fur cartage? Mr McKnight claimed that at the meeting referred to it was decided to • leave all matters entirely to him to arrange. He intimated that butter 1 fat could not be carted free oj charge. I A voice: Are cot the stores that f-Tb carted in the waggouß paying for it? Mr Faucett stat-d that at a meeting held prior to that day Mr McKnight agreed to pay tor butterfat fat according to the payments mhde by the Waikato Co-operative Dairy Company, and he also further agreed that the question of cartage should be left to a committee to settle. Mr McKnight contended that it was absurd to suggest that he should pay out the same as another man. He had agreed to the terms as stated by Mr Faucett, but with a stipulation, viz., That he would have to j hold a public meeting before the prices for the coming season could be arranged. Mr Aicken stated that he was one of the deputation that waited on Mr McKnight when he agreed to pay out for butter-fat according to the payments as made by Mr Goodfellow's company, less charges. Mr Faucett proposed that Mr McKnight's offer for the payment of butter-fat for last season be accepted. The chairman declined to accept the proposal, intimating that the report would require to be dealt with as a whole and not partially. Mr A. D. Beil said that at the previous annual meeting Mr McKnight was deputed to arrange the prices to be .paid out ar.d accordingly the speaker considered it an injustice to further diacuea the question. Mr Faucett was still of the opinion that the payments should be made according to London market value, and claimed that the demand was reasonable. He stated that he had mentioned the name of ths Waikato Co-operative Dairy Company because it was the closest dairy company to that district, and they had paid out according to the London market rates. Accordingly the repoit could not be accepted because it was not in accordance with the prices of the London market. There were other dairy companies in New Zealand that had paid Doth freight and cartage charges, etc,, and then had been able to pay out more than Mr McKnight had offered A voice: It's co-operative. Mr I;. Denton proposed that the terms stated in the report a;> submitted be accepted. Mr Faucett asked Mr McKnight ll he was prepared to deny thai th'j Waikato Co-operative Dairy Comi pany had paid out Is IJil per lb. lor butter fat during the pa'-t season. Mr McKnight replied in the allirm alive, and at the request ut the chairman Mr A. D Hell read out particulars as copied from a supplier's credit note rendered by the Waikato Co-operative Dairy Company lhat went to show that (he average nctt price paid out b.\ that company during the past eeason tor butter lat Mr Faucett' l'hose statements have been trumped up for the occasion. Mr A. i). Cell, in seconding Mr Denton's motion, remarked that it was unfair to ask one body to pay oui in accordance with any ether company.

Mr Faucett comidcred that tney

! were only asking for the value of their butter-fat, ani they were r.ot die atingr, tut were givirg Mr McKnight tha opportunity of cor.sideiing the otter. It was purely a , matter of business. Mr McKnight ! was out to buy cheap and they were j cut to get a good price, and otless 'Mr McKnight left cut ths cartage I he woulJ fall out with him. He I moved as an amendment that Mr I McKnight sLould adhere to the I reply he had given to a deputation lon the Wednesday previous to that ! meeting and pay out on the basis lof the Waikato Co-operative Daiy Company payments. Mr Aicken seconded the amendment, but the chairman claimed that tha mover wca out of order. Mr Faucett: No. If the meeting thinks likewise I will go our. The chairman is triyng to have the report accepted. You're rot game to put the amendment, Mr Airken: Test the feeling of the meeting on the report. A vioce: Mr McKnight, did you agree with the demands of the deputation that waited on you'' ! Mr McKnight: No; it was to go ! bei'jre the meeting. Mr Bell pointed out that unless the deputation was appointed at a duly | advertised meeting of suppliers Mr ! McKnight could cot make any definite promise until the matter was discus:ed at that meeting of suppliers. If the matter had been settled, why had Mr McKnight called that meeting? Mr Faucett explained that the deputation did not go from an advertised meeting but nevertheless if Mr McKnight had made a statement to a supplier there was r.o use in his going back on it.

Ihe chairman intimated that he would put the motion to the meeting.

Mr Fauc tt claimed that the chairman was net in ord.r, and Btated that if it was put it would be done under protest.

On being put to the meeting 23 cast thtir votes in favcur of the motion and nine against, aboat 48 refraining from voting. Mr Faucett congratulated the chantnan on 'carrying" hia point, and withdrew from the meeting. Mr McKnigbt suggested that be should work on (ha same lines during the coming' season as he had done duiing the past Eeason. A voice: Mow would jou treat suppliers who would take milk to the factory. Mr McKught replied that they would be treated on the same lines as tLose who supplied separated cream.

A voice: If suppliers in a certain portion of the district cart;d milk to the factory would they receive the nett price.

Mr McKoight replied in the affirmative, and added that the cooperative system was the fairest way of meeting the charge on cartage. Mr Aickeo coniadered that the charge of nine-sixteenlhß of a penny for cartage was excessive. Mr McKnight was of the opinion that the cartage charges for the following season might be less than the charges of the past eeasan, as (here might be a larger supply of cream.

A voice: Does the Is lid include from r.ow to the coming milking season.

Mr McKnight: it might be more.

A voice: Considering the present diet of butter fat Mr McKnight is paying less than any other dairy factory in New Zealand. The chairman explained that Mr McKnight paid according to the rise and tall of the market, but Mr Aicken claimed that such was not to last year. Mr McKnight claimed that the bonus regulated it. On Mr McKnight's terms for the coming season being accepted, he explained that he had no objection to any one carting cream as long as his carriers did not have to call along the road where the cream would be carted from and iurther whoever carted the cream would have to take over the rural mail contract L . ..a it was taken on by fcim under conditions that if the cream cart should stop the delivery of the rural mail woud likewise step. Mr McKnight explained that suppii=rs would still have the oplion oi carting all the cream from any one road in the district.

The meetiug concluded with a resolution of sympathy with the parents and relatives of troops killed and wounded in the war.