SHANNON CO-OPERATIVE DAIRY CO., LTD.

Shannon News, 17 August 1926, Page 3

SHANNON CO-OPERATIVE DAIRY CO., LTD.

j ANNUAL MEETING. The eighteenth annual general meeting of the above company was held in the Parish Hall, Shannoin, on Saturday. There were between 30 and 40 suppliers present, Mr R. W. Taylor, chairman of the company, presided. DIRECTORS’ REPORT. The annual report was as follows: Your Directors have (pleasure in presenting for your consideration the 18th annual report and balance sheet for the year ended 30th June, 1926. The butter-fat payment for the year should meet with file suppliers’ approval. The quantity of butter manufactured for the year was 741 tops, 13 cwt., 1 qr., 15 lbs. The average monthly payment for suppliers’ foutterfat was Is 6.05 d. Provision has been made in the balance sheet for a further payment of IJd per lbl on the season, giving a total average payment for the year of ls> 7.58 d.„ The average grade was 93.72. The store sales were £28,848 8s Bd. The gross profit was £3168 6s 3d, and after deducting wages £I2OO, store freight £9Ol 4s 9d, insurance £7O, interest £SO, cartage £l5O, and general expenses £226, a nett profit of £571 Is 6d is shown. The amount of credit of Profit and Loss Account as shown on the balance sheet is £3105 7s Id. Out of this amount your Directors propose to> pay the usual 6 per cent, dividend and carry the balance forward.

Referring to the company’s payout for the reason just ended, the chairman said that up toi the present he did not think any other company was ahead of them, in this respect. He asked if there was anything in the report anyone present would like discussed.

No criticism coming forth, he remarked with a smile “that it wasrather a tame way of passing it.” He said there was one matter, namely the new Dairy Industry Act, which l he would like to touch upon. This I Act would bring about the compul- I soiry grading of. cream, which will alter the working conditions of the company for the coming season. In reply ■to a questioner, he said the carrying out of the Act would be administered by the Dairy Division, j It is proposed to make it the duty of j the company or owner to provide a j cream grader, who will be examined ; by an officer of the Dairy Division J and who, on passing the examination j will be granted a certificate. Cireamfor tfie manufacture of creamery butter is to be graded as “finest,” “first grade,” and “second grade.” ■ The standards will be to the effect that finest cream should, if churned by itself, make a butter scoring not less than 93 points; first grade cream should, if churned by itself, make a butter which should soolre 90 and under 93 points, and second grad© cream would make a butter scoring under 90 points. It will be an obligation on the part of all. dairy companies to make diffentiai advance payments, the minimum differences being one half-penny per pound of butterfat mjore ;fojr “finest” cream than for ‘first-grade,” and one penny per pound of butterfat less for “second grade” cream than for “first grade.” Authority to inspect the dairy companies’ books is being requested, in so’ far as such is necessary to ensure that the supplier is paid for his cream in accordance with the grading. Dairy factory owners will be required to colour such creams as are unfit for.the manufacture of butter for human consumption, so that such cream wall not, after being returned to the owner, be forwarded to another factory, or be diluted with other cream and returned to the first factory. Dairy factory owners purchasing whey cream are to grade such as first or second grade, the minimum difference being one penny per pound of butterfat. In conclusion he said, the Act will be enforced by the Government, • Mr iStiles said they could not pass the report without according their appreciation. He said there was no pay out as good as the company’s when it came to advance payments. The payout for the past season had been tremendously good and he felt that it was going to be the best for some time to come, but although he sincerely hoped that under the Control Board it would be as good, he was doubtful. Mr S. W. Carter, in congratulating the Directors fof the balance sheet, said that, like Mr Styes, he felt very nervous about the future. Mr James, ,s in expressing his appreciation, referred to the increase in the average grade from 93.15 to 93.72. The last season was the first that the instructor had been engaged and it had been profitable. He felt that suppliers had done their best and the result was most encouraging. Mr Ghrystall said the splendid results had'been hrougjit about.by the co-operation of the managed, staff and suppliers. The report was. then adopted. ELECTION OF TWO- DIRECTORS. The two retiring directors, Messrs G. 71. Stiles and W. .Tames, offered themselves for re-election, also Mr R. Law. Mr Law, the new aspirant, _in thanking his nominators for giving him an opportunity to contest the election, said that although he appreciated the efforts of the directors, he thought he was quite in order to offer himself. His father had been a director and chairman of the company for some years, and he would esteem it an honour if elected. He\had had a hard fight to get on his feet and he claimed he had been fairly successI ful. If elected he would use his best

endeavour to give the affairs of the Company his first atention. A ballot was then taken, Messrs Thompson and Collins acting as scrutineers, the- result being that the two retiring directors, Messrs Stiles and James, were re-elected. APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR. Messrs Henry Kember and Son, of Wellington, were re-elected auditors. PIG INDUSTRY. In connection with the arrangement with the Feilding Freezing Co., through Dalgety and Co. for tile exporting of pork, Mr Ghrystall said the farmers in the district were not giving the scheme the hearty and practical support they should. By the extra export of pork, many hundreds of pounds was derived, and they should give the scheme all the support they could. The prices would be better, as in the past the regulating, of prices was in the hands of only a few men. He moved that it be a recommendation to the directors that they give the scheme their hearty and (practical support, and that details be left to them to work up. Mr Stiles, in seconding the recommendation', ''.suggested that a man should be appointed to arrange trucking; For this work,, one-eighth of a penny rebate would be made,. approximately 2s per pig. He said every farmer to a certain extent should support the company. The chairman said if a man could not make sufficient 'On the first few trucks, the company could finance the difference up to say 25s to give it a start. The recommendation on being put to the meeting was carried. THANKS TO- STAFF. On tlie motion of the chairman a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the manager (Mr Aim), the secretary (Mr Jae. Murray), and the staff. The chairman also congratulated Mr Aim on his success at the various Shows. Mir Chrystall said it was'very gratifying to see the co, operation existing between the manager and his staff. A special meed of praise was due to M-r Pritchard, who- drives the lorry, he having done astonishingly well under most trying conditions since the bridge had gone and during the flood period. Mr Stiles, in referring to Mr Arms successes at the Shows, said a lot of them did not realise the competition he was up against, as the number of entries in which lie had been successful had ranged from 35 to o 9 and there was often very little between them In regard to the store, he had received letters favourably commenting on the management which was also very gratifying. Mr Aim and Mr Murray both ict,urned thanks on behalf of themselves and their respective staffs. , toe-dressing. Mr Carter asked that the directors do their best to assist farmers to top dress. He thought it was up to the Company to endeavour to reduce price of fertilisers, which they would get back indirectly in butterfat. Mr Tippler considered it- would be a ! great help if the company could arrange a scheme to be able to supply manures on credit, Mr perhaps, three to six months, instead of the present monthly payment. The secretary (Mr Murray) said they could supply manures on terms, hut' not at cash prices. At this point, Mr Ghrystall moved “That this meeting protest a^ in the action of the New Zealand Fei t - tier Co. in not supplying panics with fertilisers at wholesale rates.”—Carried. . The secretary stated thM u " salcrs got. a concession of b P The meeting then terminated.