Waipu.

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, Volume 1, Issue 31, 1 November 1901, Page 3

Waipu.

OPENING OF BUTTER FACTORY

The opening of the Waipu Co-oper-ative Dairy Company's Butter Factory, which took place on Friday, 18th. inst., Avas celebrated hy a banquet, at ■which more tlian sixty persons sat down.•Several gentlemen from Auckland, Whangarej, and Maungaturoto were present by invitation, among whom were Mr, McLenunn (representing- the Loan and Mercantile Agency), and Mr. M. G. McGregor (representing- the McGregor S.S. Co.) from Auckland, Messrs J, D. McKenzio and I>. C. Wilson from Whangarei, and Mr. N. Finlaysou from Mauugaturoto. Several other gentlemen- were invited but were unable to attend owing to business engagements. Mr. Cowdell, photographer of Whnngarei, took n number of pictures of the factory, directors, etc. The principal toasts were as folJjws:— u The King . ftII(I .Q M]II "The McGregor Company," "The : "\Vaipu Dairy Co-operative Company," "The Sec-rotary and manager of'the Company," " Jho Contractors," "The Engineer," "The Local Bodies," "The Hirer Board," "The Visitors," -'The Ladies," "The Press." Mr. A. T. McKay, in proposing- the toast of "The McGregor s.s. Company," spoke of the great advantages derived from having direct gteam communication with Auckland, bringing us in touch with a, good market for our pr« duoe. Settlers were greatly - indebted to the McGregor Company for supplying a servioe so satisfactory, without whioh the butter factory would perhaps never have existed, In oouplifig with the toast tho names of Mr. M. G McGregor and Captain MacJveny.ie, he referred in terms of high praise to the Inter's qualities as a fearless and able seaman. Mr. McGregor, replying on behalf of the McGregor Company, said he had to apologise for the absence of the mansign-. who could not get away on account of having one of the ships on the slip. He thanked th m for the hearty way in which they responded to the toast of the McGregor s. s, ** Company, and he spoke of the many signs of advancement and the prospeii mis appearance of the district; lie saw no reason why the Waipu Butter Fact>ry should not bo a grand success; there whs now every f.eility for bringing- the district to a -foremost place among tlio agricultural districts of the colony, and the back country <<pened up wouldndd greatly to the expoits. He believed that Waipu would eventually become a great centre; and when the time came that the Rob Roy would no longer be able to meet the'-requirements of the district, the McGregor Company would be prepared" for the position.- He wished the pc-ple every success in their new venture.

Captain McKenzie thanked those present for the high opinion whi«h they were kind enough to express of his seamanship. He admitted that much did depend on the captain, who might at any time if he were not earefull pile the Bob lioV high and dry upon tlie beach, lief erring to the step the setilers had taken in putting up such an up-to-date factory, he believed that it was a step in the right direction, and that now we must put our shoulders to the wheel and not rest until we had exterminated ihe gorge and laid down all the land in good paddocks of grass, for if we •^Svanted milt we must grow plenty of 'feed for our cows. As he was a number of years a farmer in the Waikato he could speak from experience, and the success of such an enterprise as Waipu was about to engage in greatly , depended on keeping the best breed of cows, having them always in good condition and in treating them well

"You mu>t all work hard" said Captain Mcken/.ie "and whet you are run down go for a trip in the Kob Hoy"

Mr. McLennan, in proposing the toast of the day, "The Waipu Cooperative Dairy Company," said that "with such a complete factory, and with land as fertile as any in the province, the future prosperity of Waipu was assured. By way of showing that the district was advancing, lie said that during' the past six months the Loan and Merchantile Agency which he represented had put out in Waipu nearly £8,000 worth of implements, machinery, cream separators, etc., including the machinery for the butter faetorv.

Mr. S. Mdnnis proposed the health of the Sccretry and the Manager of the Dairy Company, Mr. R. E. McKay and Mr. Garner, both of whom replied. The Manager said that the success of tlie factory lay with the settlors themselves, the factory itself was a model ■ ne, and it only required a good supply of milk to make-things hum.

The Contractors were congratulated on the building of such n handsome structure which was an advertisement uf their skill as workmen.

Mr. .T. A. Finhiyson proposed the health of the Inspector, Mr. N. H, Campbell, who he said had given entire satisfaction to all. Mr. Campbell replied, and said that he was sure that with such a "toff" factory the people had only to "go in and win." Mr. J. M. McKay proposed "The Local Bodies," coupled with the name of Mr. I). D. Wilson.

Mr. AVilfsei; s»«id that through the irony of fate none was more Jitted to .speak on tliis matt or than he. He had been mixed up with Local Bodies for a score of years, and he thought that a man in a position of ihi.s kind received little thanks for his labour. The gentleman who proposeri the toast, Mr. J,-M. McLiiVj had been a member

of the County Council for sixteen years and to have occupied a position of-this kind so long he must have been a hero indeed.

In proposing "Tlie River Board" Mr J. M. McKay spoke of the great service rendered to the district by Mr. N. J. Campbell, Chairman of the River Board, by his untiring efforts in m king the river navigable as it now was. It was mainly due to this gentleman's energy that they had a steamer running- to their doors. Mr. 1). C. Wilson, replying to the toast of "The Visitors," "said : "For! good treatment and hospitality commend me to a Highlander." He had' always experienced from his earlies visits to the people of Waipu the best of treatment, and he was always sure of a hearty, .welcome in any house in Waipu. It gave him great 2>l^asure to be 2«"<?sent on such an auspicious oc asion, when Waipu was (he believed) on the eve of becoming a famous place, "He thanked them heartily for their reception of the visitors, •

Mr. Cowdell proposed the "Ladies" and Mr- McLennan replied, Mr. N. 11, Campbell proposed the "Press,*' and the toast was acknowledged by Messrs. Cowdell and J. McGregor on behalf of the "Northern Advocate" and "Rodney, and Otamatea Times.''

"Musical Honours'* were the order of the afternoon, and the festivities closed with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne "

During the day the manager and the engineer set the machinery in motion and explained tho procoes of manufacturing, to a largo number of visitors. [Waipu Correspondent.]