PUKEKOHE DAIRY SUPPLIERS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 204, 29 August 1916, Page 4

PUKEKOHE DAIRY SUPPLIERS.

Addressed by Mr Pacey. The annual conference of the Pukekobe and district suppliers of the New Zealand Dairy Association was held last Thursday evening in the Masonic Hall, Mr H. E. Pacey, Managing Director, attending. Mr J. B. Rowe was voted to the chair. THE ASSOCIATION'S GROWTH. Mr Pacey, in the course of a very interesting address, remarked that last season was the best that had ever been recorded by the Association, 'the output was several huudreds of tons more than in any previous year, together wiUi from 500 to 600 tons of cheese, the wiiole representing trading to the extent of no less than £876,000 The Dairy Association now was the second largest dairying business in the world and the biggest of any industrial concern in the Auckland, province. Mr Pacey reniiuded the meeting that Pukekohe was the original home of the Association and he pointed out that the big expansion of trade only dated back seven years, at which time the output only amounted to about £297,000. The advance of the Association had been achieved by the enterprise and industry of the suppliers. A DISTINCTION FOR PUKEKOHE.

The fact that the Pukekohe factory had won the vVeddel Cup for last season, said Mr Pacey, was also very gratifying, and was creditable both to the suppliers and to the manager, Mr Kirkman. Iho Weddel Cup was the trophy most coveted by dairymen at that end of the province, and it betokened uniformly good continuous work month in and month out. QUALITY OF MILK / DETERIORATING. Mr Pacey went on to refer to an important phase of the dairying industry, namely, that the quality of milk and cream was throughout tho Dominion not so good now as it waß some seven to ten years ago, whereas with greater skill brought to bear on the industry and the advantage of improved plant the quality of milk aud cream should have correspondingly improved. The matter at present concerned the suppliers, but as time went on it would affect th e financial part of the industry.

REASONS OF RETROGRESSION. MrPacey, continuing, said that the spread of mechanical appliances —milking machines and home separators—had a good deal to do with the retrogression that had taken place as in many instances sufficient attention was not paid to secure their absolute cleanliness. Then again another cause was the extended use of fodder crops, which brought about a taint In the milk. He counselled that those using turnips should feed discreetly and carefully and should utilse water coolers or aerators. TURNIP FEEDING. Turnips should be- withered for a few days by exposure to the sun and the tops and bottoms cut off and should only be given to the cows immediately after milking. If that were done he did not think that exception could be taken to the quality of the milk. , RIVAL ORGANISATIONS. Another cause of the lowering of the standard of milk, in Mr Pacey's opinion, was the competition among dairy organisations. He had known of instances where on a supplier being remonstrated with as to imperfections in his milk he ceased delivery and transferred his supply to another concern. Whilst there would always be room for the better butter the inferior article would not be able to compete against margarine and that aspect affected the financial market of the future. The effect of the rivalry be had referred to was partly responsible for the amalgamation of dairying Companies in the southern part of the province that was projected and it was also recognised that such union would avoid overlapping aud competition on the market and would minimise expense and cheapen the cost of production. Unfortunately the amalgamation did net realise but it was demonstrated that it was a proposition within the range of possibilities and he (Mr Pacey) believed that it would only be a matter of time before the scheme would be brought to fruition.

ASSOCIATION " MAKING GOOD." He claimed th«t the Association j was " making good " at every poiut as against their neighbours but the i poiut was whether either of them i were doiug as much as they might 'do ? The Association was getting a good share of new business and quite a number of old suppliers, who had left them, were this year coming back to the Association witli recognition that the Association served them best. THE OVER-RUN QUESTION. Mr Facey next dealt witli the question of over-run and advised the meeting to puss a resolution requesting the Government to legislate for statistics to bo eouqiul-orily published every year showing the over-run ami attendant figures to supplement the over-run statement, viz, 16"of butteifat purchased, lbs of butter made from the butterfat etc. The point he emphasised was that with no record of over-run available it was possible for a man *o be paid (say) 2s per lb for 12-'»lbs of butterfat whereas he was, in reality, no tatter off than if he were paid Is 3d for 200lbs. NON-SUPFLIERS* SHARE *. In conclusion, Mr Pucey explained that the Directors had decided to resume shares of nonsuppliers, paying them 7-3 per cent of their value for the same, the balance of 25 per cent to be credited to a fund against loss of assets in closing down some of the creameiies. It was not proper co-operative dairying, Mr Pac*y said, for dividends to be paid to nonsuppliers as the producer of the butterfat should reap all the advantages and that was what guided the Directors in the action that had been resolved upon. A RESOLUTION. Ou the motion of the chairman seconded by Mr J. Glenie a resolution was adopted, as suggested by Mr Pacey, to be forwarded to the Government on the over-run question. FUTURE PROSPECTS BRIGHT. Replying to a vote of thanks for his address, which was carried with acclamation on the proposition of Mr Gleuie, seconded by Mr Hodgson Keith, Mr Pacey declared that the prospects for the current season were exceptionally bright and he anticipated that last year's record would be surpassed but at the same time he believed that it was the desire of all that the war should be terminated as soon as possible even if such brought down the price of butter-fat, etc.