A REMARKABLE GATHERING

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 179, 2 June 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

A REMARKABLE GATHERING

WAIKATO CO-OPERATIVE DAIRY CO.

Triumph of Home Separation.

Amazing Growth of Industry.

One of the most remarkable gatherings in the history of dairying in New Zealand was that of the annual dinner given to the suppliers of the Waikato Co-operative Dairy Co. at the Haiiilton Town Hall on Thursday night. The first of these functions, seven years ago, was held in the smallest hall procurable in the town, which amply accommodated the persons present. An indication of the marvellous growth of the concern may be gathered from the fact that Thursday's meeting-place, while the largest in tit town, was totally inadequate to seat all at one time, and it was necessary to have a second sitting to accommodate the overflow, who occupied the galleries, the platform, the stairs, and the alleyways. Mr W. G. Macky (director) presided.

plain and straightforward statement of facts. The past season had been a very excellent one; they had received exceedingly high prices, and the increased output gave them a record turnover. The speaker directed attention to a large chart demonstrating the growth of the company since it started seven years ago, when the output was a bare 130 tons, and when it was impossible to sell home separated cream or even to give it away. The following year, however, the figures had risen to over 400 tons, and in 1911 it had grown to over 600 tons, a year later it j exceeded 900 tons, while in 1912 it j had risen to 1100 tons. Last year, i owing to the bad season, the increase 1 was not so large, approximately 1200 tons being manufactured, while this season the output would exceed 1500 tons. (Loud applause.) It would be seen, therefore, that they had made up for what they had lost last season, and

Ia briefly welcoming the visitors, the chairman expressed regret that the hall was not sufficiently large to accommodate them. It was very pleasiag, however, to see so large a fathering, which went to prove not •afy the great growth of the company, but the keen interest taken by the supplier! in its operations. Reviewing the work of the past year, he mentioned that the output was over 1500 ton§, and the turnover exceeded £230,000. It was thought at the beginning of the season that the prospects were anything but good, and the outlook regarding shipping was certainly very black. Fortunately, however, no difficulty was experienced in this reaped, and the whole of the output was got away to time. The speaker paid a tribute to the staff, and mentioned the fact that a number of the company's best Men had gone to the front, and as a consequence labour difficulties had •ropped up. If, therefore, any of the suppliers had received perhaps a little less attention and satisfaction than previously they must accept the plea of short-handedness as the excuse.

had still maintained their average increase. Everyone would agree that an SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES. Owing to the war the eompany had many difficulties to eontend with, increase in value of the output of a single company in six years from £15,000 to close on a quarter of a million sterling was a remarkable record. Climatic conditions also had not been favourable to the production of a high quality butter, as the spring was wet and the summer exceedingly hot, and consequently the cream was not quite up to the standard of the previous season, and had been graded on the whtle one or two points lower than last year. Nevertheless they had turned out a very creditable product. Referring to the competition in the Waikato, the speaker said it was a bad thins to make competition a lever for forcing the acceptance of cream that should rightly be rajected. A scheme had been suggested whereby the Government would appoint experts to visit farmers and instruct dairymen on dairy machinery, and demonstrate to

A CORDIAL RECEPTION. There v. - i demonstration of enthusiasm w:,■ •11 *.)• '.Vrn. Goodfellow, ■ Iir;• sit to speak, the crovv<l ri 1 k • •iwrintr, and it was some riii'ihi - ,;v h< was allowed to make tin i i ' Mr Goodfellow express" • ;•- onr. o seeing so many of the ri.ui|cn;,' old friends present, which the dip-dors look as an indication of the continued Goodwill between themsHves and the suppliers. The directors were not politicians; they were business men, and were tfiere to five the suppliers a

them the value and importance of I cleanliness. During the season a big ) amalgamation scheme had been dis- | cussed, the details of which would be explained shortly by Mr Milne, who i was the originator of the idea. Had it i been carried into effect it would have been one of the linest things that could . have happened for the producers of the South Auckland province. Owing to shortage of freezing space the various dairy companies met and decided to lind sufficient capital to enable the Auckland Fanners' Freezing Company to give them additional room. As a result the W'iiikato Mairy Company took

up 1200 £i shares in the Freezing •ompany. MARKETS AND PRICES. Dealing with the markets, the speaker said that owing to attractive priees offered in London the company had not pushed the local trade, yet the output in Auckland and Waikato hail increased considerably, which was an evidence that the quality had been maintained. Nothing had been si'nt to American or Canadian markets, the whole of the butter exported going to London. Margarine had gained a wonderful hold in the English market, the annual consumption of the commodity in the United Kingdom being something like 300,000 tons. In order to realise what this meant, he need only mention that the amount of butter exported from New Zealand annually was between 15,000 and 17,000 tons. The extraordinary prices received during the past year were attributed to various reasons, the first of which, of course, was the war. Practically no supplies had reached the British market from Siberia, Sweden or Holland, and only half ttie quantity from Denmark, while little had left Australia owing to the drought. When the war is over and conditions again become normal New Zealand must expect considerable competition from the other exporting countries, as well as from margarine. Nevertheless they had it on good authority that Great Britain would afford an excellent market for all New Zealand could produce, providing the product was of the highest quality. The speaker quoted an article from Weddel's Beview bearing out his statement.

Mr Goodfellow said he was very pleased to state that the factories were in good working order, and that they still retained the services of their able and popular manager, Mr Shirley. Owing to the rapid increase in the business large extensions were at present being made to the Frankton factory, which when completed would enable the company to in;tnvif.icturc 1500 tons of butter at thai branch. The company had also j.i. a site at Tuakau, upon vvh.'t-'-- n decided to erect a early date. He bcik-\ •.< '•. . an admirable tvnliv .<• LAST YEAR'S PRiCES. The speaker the pries ; followin- h ' I ; i-' • vance pnc. - 1 to the fact .]*>. . Is 14<1: Is 2J.1; 'in . •!, Is 24d; .ia 1 ni.j:•. . Is 2Jd; March, 's 2 •- id. The company sliil ha<i •• - quantity of butter ihis<>;-•. ... 1; expected that the total pne.- il.nicream would apiiroxiiiiato ts i i per pound, when the whole of Ihr. payments were made. The suppliers would remember that last year the Waikato Company's average price was the highest in Waikato, and there was no reason why they should not continue to occupy the premier position in the future. The speaker "pointed out that the high prices realised had been somewhat discounted by the increased costs of production and marketing, and instanced the fact that shipping freights had increased by 50 per cent. Fermerly butter could be placed on the London market at a cost of Id per lb, whereas it was now costing 2d.

Commenting upon the share system adopted by the company, he stated that this had received practically the unanimous approval of the supplier shareholders, and had worked well. During the past season the company had re-purchased at face value something like 1000 shares from suppliers who had given up dairying. These shares had since been re-issued. In conclusion, the speaker, on behalf of the directorate, thanked the suppliers for their support in the past, and expressed a hope for a continiMiice of their confidence in the future, assuring them that by their assistance it was possible to make the Waikato Co-op. Dairy Co., Ltd., the strongest, soundest, and most truly co-operative concern in the land. THE EARLY STRUGGLES. Mr Joseph Clark said that while lie and Mr Allen Hell, who sat at his riirht hand, were no longer members of the

directorate, they had not forgotten the early struggles when they were in the forefront of the fighting force for home separation. The fight was a tough one, but the company came out of the struggle victorious. The turnover for the season, quoted by the chairman, recalled his prophecy of two years ago, that within two seasons the company's business would amount to a quarter of a million sterling. This remarkable growth in seven years should make them determined individually to do their utmost to keep up the standard of the product and assist in making their company the largest in the Dominion.

ADVANTAGES OF AMALGAMATION Mr A. C. Milne said it was delightful to him to look upon such a vast gathering of suppliers. As the largest hall in the town was unable to accommodate them, he ventured to suggest that next year the Auckland Town Hall should he chartered and special suppliers' trains run to the city. (Laughter and applause.) The speaker touched upon the advantages of amalgamation, and said the first step towards this end in the Auckland province was the joint agreement arrived at by the.whole of the dairy companies of the province to practically buy their own cool storage by taking shares in the Farmers' Freezing Company. A short time ago an effort was made to amalgamate the whole of the dairyinginterests of South Auckland. The negotiations progressed very favourably in the early stages, but unfortunatfly a hitch occurred later on, and the proposal fell through. The speaker enumerated the advantages of the amalgamation, and said it would mean an enormous saving in working expenses, would have the effect of increasing the price of produce, and consequently would put all money into the pockets of the suppliers.

A REMARKABLE GATHERING. Mr Greville (Editor of the New Zealand Dairyman) said he had been in

i i it; -!• ■ i!i• i-<■ nI. parts oi' l!i" •I• i r. " <)'. ls\ *nlv -live yiNir.. iiml had fi'■ \ ; ' !• • .'iii'i» seen such a re niarkable gal hering in c-orinivLion ;i'i the industry. lie remarked upon ii>■ ■ fact that 80 per cent, of the, world's output of butter was produced under the home separation system. The speaker touched generally on different phases of the industry, and said an offer had been made to purchase the whole milk output of one district for ten years at Is 3d per pound. He assured them that the skim-milk was worth 3d, and that experiments had been tried in Victoria, and entered in the Agricultural Journal of ttiat State, proving that by the addition of pollard this value could be substantially increased. ADVICE TO SUPPLIERS. Mr Valentine (New Zealand Government Dairy Instructor for North Auckland) gave an interesting address on the care, of cream, the district from which he came being wholly a home separation one. The output from the North of Auckland last year was 135,000 boxes butter and 3700 cases cheese. Most of the cream was handled on the every other day system. The chief fault met with was neglect between the time the cream was separated and delivered at the factory, lie had visited quite a number of farm* during the past year, and bad found the, impression existing amongst dairymen that anything could tie sent to the factory and made into good butter. It. could not. If (he supplier did not do his duty a good article could not be produced, l'o begin with, clcaidiness

ef the milk sheds was the irst thing he looked for on visiting dairy farms, but they were not always in a satisfactory conditien, while he frequently found that the milking machines did not receive the attention they should/ Generally speaking, the separators on the farms North of Auckland were clean, hut at the request of a manager lie recently visited half a dozen farms where complaints had been received of the quality of the cream supplied, and in each instance he found the cause was a dirty separator. He made a point of the fact that it was absolutely necessary in cleaning milking Machines

and utensils, not merely to wash them in warm water, but. to scald them out afterwards. Cooling was another matter that required careful attention. This should be done as quickly as possible after separation, and the cream shauld then be placed in a thoroughly clean, light and airy shed away from the yard and odours of any descriptien. Neither benzine, kerosene, oils of any description, nor anything that gave off an offensive smell should lie allowed near the cream, which was very sensitive and quick to absorb foreign flavours. The speaker referred to the beneficial results of the cream grading system. CO-OPERATIVE BUYING. Mr H. 0. Cooper, Waihou, referred at length to the advantages offered by the Suppliers' Co-operative Buying Agency in Auckland. He mentioned that the turnover for the past season had almost doubled, and the directors had found it imperative to remove to more commodious premises. The new offices were conveniently situated in Endean's Buildings, adjoining the railway station and post office. The object of the business was to cater for requirements of the suppliers only, on a mail order basis, payments for goods being deducted from cream cheques. Mr A. G. Shirley, factory manager,

i;-i r■ ;i■ ■ !■' ' • r-Tilhusi-ii con i i:i:'iniiu!'d' ■ : : : ■; '': r : i r Mir, Some u.S' i'iii in.-.'i is. .:>■» .in causes ami jircvenlion of ilolcriuraiion. Mr \Y<. E. G. Willy, a director of the company, pointed out that the Waikato Co-operative Dairy Co. was the only concern in the province that had published a certified statement of its over run. The company had a good staff, but some of their best men were now serving with the colours. The directors were going to treat these men well, and on their return would reinstate them. The company had also decided to establish a roll of honour. VISITORS' CONGRATULATION S Mr Gregg, chairman of the Kaitaia Co-operative Dairy Co., expressed his great pleasure at being present, and thanked the directors of the company for their hospitality. Mr Itynes Fulton, chairman of the Tuakau Town Hoard, confessed that he was a recent convert to the home separation system, but could say he was thoroughly satisfied with his first season with the company. He would never again supply a creamery. Mr Win. Louden, of Ake Ake, thanked I lie directors for introducing I lie home separation system into the Lower Waikato. I!y far the largest and most successful gathering yet held concluded with three hearty el for the directors.