MEETING OF MILK SUPPLIERS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 278, 25 May 1917, Page 2

MEETING OF MILK SUPPLIERS.

ADDRESS BY MR PACEY. The annual meeting of local suppliers of the N Z Dairy Association was held in the Public School on Tuesday last, when there was a good attendance. Mr S. Hodge was elected to the chair. - The Chairman spoke on the difficulties of shipping and of the storage of staple products, remarking that they were faced with grave obstacles which, he hoped. *■ Government would be able to remedy in the near future. . Mr H. E. Pacey, managing director of the N.Z. Dairy Association, in arising to deliver his annual address to the suppliers was loudly applauded. He stated that at the conclusion of his speech he would like to have a heart to heart talk with those present as they were now facing a very grave crisis in the history of the dairying industry. They % had had a very big seai and the Dairy Association had had • a good share of the * new business that was gaing. He had forecasted last season that the Association would have an increase of £II,OOO. People thought he was drawing a longbow but he assured his hearers that if the present prices prevailed the increase would be at least £10.250 more than last year. The Association had in previous years lost more suppliers to opposition companies than they had gained but he was pleased to state that this year the gains were large and the losses almost a neglible quantity. In the manufacture of cheese the Association had increased its output some hundreds of tons. Some 60 tonsofglaxo had been turned out at the factory at Mate--1 mate, and some 700 tons of butter had been added to the year's output Papatoetoe had had a most successful year, being the largest since the opening of the creamery 28 years ago. Inconsequence of Miigh prices and the demand for butter the farmers had a most prosperous tune, due largely to the good management and co-operation. After .hearing the facts of the case he felt sure they would all be satisfied with the management The dairying industry contributed largely to the prosperity of the country and the N Z. Dairy Association was the largest co-opera-tive society in the Dominion. In dealing with the menace of the uncertainty of obtaining ships to take away prodnce Mr Pacey informed his hearers that they had had a lot of battling with the authorities to get better facilities. Twice every season since the commencement of the war they had been up against the same question and every year the position would become more serious. Shipping had been diverted to the Argentine for supplies of meat. In previous years butter came first in demand with the home authorities. Now it only occupied third or fourth place. At present there was threequarters of a million pounds'sterling worth of butter in cold storage at Auckland. Butter made in January last was still in store. In consequence of this state of affairs the Association had to institute a conservative policy. It might have been possible to squeeze a small advance but he thought it better to keep to the present tariff than to have to ask for a refund from the suppliers at the end of the season. Eighteen months ago the dairy companies asked the freezing companies to increase their cold storage accommodation at a cost to them of some £20,000. Bome wondered if the dairy companies were justified in asking for that expenditure. Buch people now were quite satisfied that the companies were quite right in their request Co-operative freezing had helped at the present crisis to successfully care for thirty thousmd pounds' worth of dairy produce. He (Mr Pacey) could not say when the dairy produce would be got away, but everything possible would be done to relieve the congestion. Last year the suppliers had some dissuasion as to the advantages of manufacturing butter versus cheese, but he felt sure that with the increased cost of calves and pigs the farmers would realise the value of the skim milk and biproducts and would see that butter was the better hue to carry on. In speaking of the glaio factories, Mr Pacey stated that it was proposed to open two such factories only as the cost of execution was very high and glaxo could only be a success in a place where was a large supply of milk and where the factories were near to the railway. Another factory would b« opened at Matangi and that with the one now in operation at Matamata would be all they » could handle at present. In reference to the running of the Papatoetoe creamery Mr Pacey thought it was not the time to make changes. If home seperation came into force and every supplier sent his can of cream to Pukekohe the freights would be enormous. If each supplier sent his own cream for 300 days of the year the cost in freights would amount to £ 1138 and if for 200 days of the year the cost would be £758. The present cost of running the creamery was only £3BO per year. He considered five-eighths of a penny per lb a very reasonable charge for separating the suppliers' milk. If they had to separate themselves the cost to the farmer would be. considerably more If home separation was brought into force a depot would have to be established which would cost about £BO less than the running of the present creamery.

Discussion on the matter of continuing the creamery then ensued.

Mr Druce asked whether, as bo many of the suppliers had gone in for home seperation, the Association had enough suppliers to still separate at the present charge of fiveeighths of a penny. Mr Pacey informed the meeting that at present there were 37 sup- V pliers and he did not see any need to change from the present policy.

Mr Meyers thought it would be detrimental to the district S the creamery was closed.

Mr Hodge considered that the matter should be left till later on to decide what was best to be done. Mr Pacey explained that he did not wish to spring a surprise on the suppliers and that if they thought they should have time to consider the matter he did not see why they could, not leave their decision till later. At this stage Mr Waters moved and Mr Jenkins seconded: "That the matter be left in abeyance and that a committee be appointed to wait on the suppliers and .report their decision to Mr Pacey at a later date." This motion was carried unanimously and the following were appointed as the Committee, viz., Messrs F. Waters (East Tamaki), M. Turnbull (Wiri), 8. Hodge (Papatoetoe), the last named to act as convenor.

Mr Druce asked if any of the Auckland dairy companies had made any effort to get representation on the Shipping Board and Mr Pacey replied that the Board was composed of members of the different shipping companies and at the Government's request a Government nominee had been appointed. An effort had been made by the dairy companies to secure representation but without success.

There being no further business, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Pacey for his address and the proceedings closed.

Properties are still changing hands in the Papatoetoe district. Mr McCulloch has purchased the balance of Mr C. Clark's property on Great South road and also a section of 2£ acres on Tamaki road. Mr J. Dreadon, of Whangarei, has bought Mr Alex Muir's sections in Kolman and Great South roads. Building operations on the Kolman road section commence next week.