DAIRY COMPANIES.

Shannon News, 14 April 1927, Page 2

DAIRY COMPANIES.

MANAWATU ASSOCIATION. QUESTIONS OF CUSTOMS TARIFF. The executive of the Manawatu and West Coast Dairy Companies’ Association met. in Palmerston, oil Thursday, - Mr. C. G. C. Derr..er presiding. Messrs T. Ranford, P. Hanson and J. W. ToeJe were also present. Apologies for absenee were received from Messrs S. A. Broadbelt and 11. E. Pacey. A letter was received from the Bush Dairy Companies’ Association advising of its support of the Manawatu and West Coast Dairy Companies’ Association ’s proposal that representations be made to the Ministers of Agriculture and Customs with regard to the pvooored duties on New Zealand bacon and green pork entering Australia, which duties, the Bush Association believed, would be very detrimental to the industry. llou. O. J. Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, advised the association in reply to its representations that the tariff agreement-between' Australia and New Zealand was negotiated by the Minister for Customs to whom the association ! . letter was being referred. A from the Comptroller of Customs regirding the duty charged on butter, cheese and bacon sent to Australia from the Dominion stated that, in the ca.e of each, the duty prior to the agreement was 3d per lb. and that,..under the agreement, a reduction of Id per lb. had been brought abc-ut. He pointed out that Australian producers were putting considerable pressure on the Commonwealth Government to take steps to increase. the existing rates on goods entering from New Zealand, but he further pointed out that such an increase could not be brought about except agter six months’ notice. In conclusion, he stated that no good purpose would be served by entering into a discussion with the Australian Government in respect to thp matter and that every reasonable endeavour would be made to conserve the interests of New Zealand producers. The letters were received. LOYALTY OF SUPPLIERS.

Replies were received to the association’s circular suggesting combined action in the matter of preventing suppliers changing over from one factory to another during the season. . While the Norsewood Co-ogfeeartive Dairy Company promised consideration of the suggested agreement, the Mangawhata and Rangiotu Dairy Compaiiies flatly refused to countenance it. The Glaxo Manufacturing 1 Company (N.Z.), Ltd., intimated that it would bo represented at a conference to be held ’at Palmerston North on April 21 on the question and would co-operate in the suggested scheme provided that it received general support from other companies. _ The secretary of the Pahiatua Cooperative Dairy Company, Ltd., wrote stating that, he had discussed the matter of signing an agreement in regard to suppliers who “chop” about from factory to factory with several members of his association, and all were of the opinion that no good purpose would t result by the signing of such an agreement. He considered that, in theory, the scheme was excellent, and would work admirably in districts where few factories were operating, but in his own district the factories were on the small side, and mostly cheese, and were bombarded by lorries collecting cream. He concluded by saying the proposition should be put before the next meeting of his association, thereby assuring the Manawatu Association of a fair spin. * DAY OLD CALVES.

Recently, the association made inquiries concerning the buying of day old calves for gelatine and rennet manufacture and other under schemes operative in various parts of New Zealand. The Federation of Taranaki Co-opera-tive Dairy Factories replied that the Patea Farmers’ Freezing Company,

Ltd., had lanched a scheme at the beginning of the dairy season for the collection of day old calves, paying 4s 6d to 5s for them delivered at the dairy factory. Ail additional allowance of 6d was made where the farmer delivered to the railway station, and of a shilling where delivery was made direct to the works. At the works carcases were boned and rolled and the shipments were quite successful. The veils were saved and made first class rennet. It was considered that there

were great possibilities in the business and that, if the gelatine process could be worked in conjunction, thus utilising the bones,the returns would be considerably augmented. The secretaries of the Longjburn and Feilding freezing works stated that the question of dealing with day-old calves in this district would be gone into by their respective management.

Mr. T. Ranford and other members stressed the advantages and possibilities of the scheme and it was decided to seek further information from the Patea Freezing Company. QUESTIONS FOR CONTROL BOARD The chairman of the Makowhai Dairy Company, Ltd., (Mr. P. W. Dixon) wrote asking that the three following matters be brought before rhe Dairy Control Beard: (1) Is any interest earned by the surplus moneys of cheese sold placed to the credit of the cheese account only? (2) Is the said interest placed to the cheese and butter accounts equally? (3) Is the said interest placed to the board’s general account, and, if so, does the cheese supplier derive any benefit?—lt was decided to forward a copy of Mr. Dixon’s letter to the Control Board. The Woodville Co-operative Dairy Company advised that it could not join the association as it had become a member of the Bush Association.