ORGANISING AN INDUSTRY.

Shannon News, 26 June 1928, Page 3

ORGANISING AN INDUSTRY.

POULTRY-KEEPERS RECOGNISE DIRECTOR’S SERVICES.

One of the outstanding features of production in New Zealand during the past few years has been revival of the fortunes of the poultry-industry. Those engaged in it have made no secret of the satisfactory naturfe of their returns, in. contrast with the conditions prevailing three years ago, when many people went out of the industry owing to the poor prospects it offered. The present prosperity of . the poultry-in-dustry is not altogether a matter of changed circumstances.'' It is directly due, in a large measure, to the labours of a small band of enthusiasts whose confidence in the future of this branch of production never deserted them even when the outlook was rather gloomy. They sought their object by developing an export trade in eggs, by endeavouring to cheapen the cost of feed, by improving the local demand by supplying a better grade of egg, and by a system of co-operative marketing that ensured that the producer got the best •price available.. One of those who took a foremost part in building’ up this organisation was Mr P. Jennens, of Levin, who lias been Chairman of Directors ,of the Wellington Poultry-keepers Association, and has also acted as secretary for the Levin orancli for some years. In recognition of his sterling services the local branch met on Friday night to tender him a tangible evidence of their goodwill in the shape of a gold watch. The President, Mr 6. Webb, presided. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs F. S. Allen, J. Durrani and H. Leger, who all expressed their appreciation of Mr Jennens’ valuable and unselfish labours for the industry. Mr J. T. Martin, a director of Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd., Wrote to Mr Jennens as follows: “I am pleased to hear that the egg suppliers of your district intend to recognise in some way the very good work you have done on their behalf. I would also like to add a word or two of appreciation. During the difficult period when the Wellington Poultry Association was trying to get on its feet against serious odds your cheery optimism and faith in the future was always manifest, and I feel certain that this belief in the ultimate success and your ability to galvanise your supporters into hearty co-operation has enabled your Association to get into a position in the egg business which should eventually redound to the financial advantage of your suppliers ajud place them in a more satisfactory position than any cooperative concern in New Zealand. By your kindly hearing and keen'interest in your Association you have earned the hearty goodwill of every member of our Company with whom you have had trading relations. I wish you good luck in the future.” POULTRYMEN’S NIGHT PAST. ' Mr B. Baskin, in making the presentation, said they had decided in this way -to recognise Mr Jennens ’ valuable services in the past, which they hoped would be continued in the future. He thought a watch was a very suitable present because Mr Jennens had been their watchman in Wellington for the jnist few' years and watched their interests very closely. . He was no longei a watchman, however; he was the captain of the ship for he was Chairman of Directors, and in the management of their affairs, they would all agree that he had given them complete satisfaction. The speaker need not ask “Watchman, what of the night,” because the. night, had passed for the poultry industry and the shining dawn was coming. That was largely due to the work of Mi- Jennens and their organisation. Some of the producers could not see eye to eye with them yet, but they would sec in the near future, the advantages of being united. The fact that they were not all in the Association gave opportunities for the manipulation of the market to the producers ’ disadvantage and to the Association’s disadvantage. He understood that some of the poultry-keepers outside the Association thought it advisable to retain their “goods” until they became “bads,” waiting for the market to rise. But people who were “had” once in that way would not be caught a second time. The producer; would find that the market would have to go down to enable them to sell those “bads” and the Association’,s market would go down with if. The public would pay a good price for a good article, but they would not pay a good price for a bad article —not twice at any rate. Mr Jennens had got a great part of the poultry-keepers into tin fold. There were still some standing out, but he was sure they would join up when once they understood the substantial advantages of marketing

through the one channel. They wished tp acknowledge the signal services of Mr Jennens to their organisation and as a *narlc of that appreciation asked him to accept a gold watch from the members of the local Association. They hoped lie, would, long continue to be their captain and ' pilot as well. (Hear, hear). , . _ Mr Raskin then Handed to Mr Jennens, amidst applause, a massive gold watch, bearing his monogram' on the outer case and inside the inscription: “Presented to P. Jennens from the L.P.K. Assn., July, 1928.” “POULTRYMEN’S BEST FBIEND.” Mr C. G. Fox, of Messrs Wright, Stephenson, Ltd., referred to the formation of the Wellington District Poultry-keepers’ Association five or six years 'ago and its subsequent failure. There was only one man with sufficient confidence in the future of the industry to continue to take an interest in the work of organisation and that man was Mr Jennens. As illustrating to what an extent the business had grown, he mentioned' that the April-May pool showed an increase' this year of 11,000 dozen over last year. The June pool last year was 8565 dozen eggs, and this' year .it was nearly double, 15,865 dozen. That was due to the efforts of their chairman and to no one else. (Hear, hear). They had quite a lot of new applicants from Carterton, Featherston, Otaki, Wanganui and Foxton, the result of Mr Jennens’ work. He was the best friend the poultry-keepers had in this country and he hoped the Association would always give him their full support. (Applause). Mr H. G. Mackay, manager of the local depot, said he had been associated will Mr Jennens for the past four .years, and no one could wish to ,have a fairer-or more just chief than him. Messrs F. J. H. Pirani, C. W. Foster, J. W. Thompson and B. K. McDonell acquiesced in Mr Baskin’s references to the guest of the evening. THE ASSOCIATION’S FINANCE, s In rising to reply, Mr Jennens was received with applause. He said that when he want into the Levin Poultrykeepers’ Association a few years ago, he never anticipated that it would fall to his lot to be chairman of directors of the Wellington Poultry Keepers ’ Association. He never anticipated that they would have the difficulties to face that\they had encountered. 'lf he had been successful in settling-some of their difficulties—-and he believed he had (hear, hear) —he was satisfied. He certainly had turned things upside down in Wellington, and that was why, if there was one letter he appreciated more than the others, it was that from Mr Martin, of Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd., who was probably one of the hardest businessmen in New Zealand., If he could continue to keep in Mr Martin’s good books, he was quite satisfied that the Wellington District ’ Poultry-keepers’ Association had got a good future before it. In any matter in which the interests of the Associa-. tion and the firm contlicted, Mir Martin stood in the position of an impartial referee. The poultry farmers .could take no exception to that attitude. When they considered that they had an Association with a capital of £1.14: which at times had liabilities langing up to £20,000, it must be regarded as good finance that they were able to get what they required. Mr Martin was the only man in the firm with whom they had any transactions; they had' nothing to do with any other department and any question that arose was referred to him only. It was to him they went when they wanted the fin ance they wanted in the course oi operations. THE EXPOBT POLICY.

Mr Jennens said the Wellington As sociation had its Board of Director; elected by the shareholders, and. to twe of them and one outside the director' ate their appreciation was undoubted iy due. They had heard a lot abou: the N.Z. Poultry-keepers’ exporting policy. The speaker happened to live s:' far away from 'Wellington that he couli. not take the interest in exportation I hat he would like to take. These thret men—Mr F. 11. Cooper, of Taita; M G. S. Bates, of Upper .Hutt; and M A. G. Mumby, of Heretaunga, hat taken that responsibility. These thieattended to the details of the export ,;ng policy and it was quite wiong tha any kudos should be thrown at. tin speaker in reference to that part of tin business. Mr Cooper had attended C all the correspondence in reference t» exporting for the coming season ant the three gentlemen named had at tended the deputations that had waiter on the Minister for Agriculture.

GUARANTEED EGGS. Mr Jennens explained that one of the aims of the Association was to give the consumer a guaranteed egg. Tin man who sent in a rotten egg was charged back with it. Some time age they heard of a producer, not in the Association, who had held 38 crates, of eggs waiting for the market to rise. That was what the Association was out to prevent and he mentioned a ease where a producer had four crates of retained because of their condition. Before the Association was formed there was no power to prevent such eggs being marketed. They had to go further, however, and that was to be able to sell a guaranteed egg on the Wellington market. The only way they could do that was by getting the other producers into line-with them because it cost money to grade eggs. The Association had lately' started a new idea in Levin. They were going to sell to tlie public a dozen guaranteed eggs from their depot. During the past month a local grocer had paid as high as 3s a dozen for eggs—a price not justified by the price in Wellington. He found that he could / have bought a better class of egg at the Association’s depot for 2s 7d. The Association therefore aimed to stabilise the local market, and they hoped to sell in Wellington an egg graded for size and quality. He explained the advantages of grading and said members of the Association could have all their eggs graded at the depot. The Association was importing a number, of mechanical graders. These were

simple and inexpensive contrivances that would weight down to a twentieth of an ounce. One would be put into the depot. Bound up with the question of grading was that of selling , ,by , weight, but he explained why this , would not be practicable until the grocer also retailed the eggs by weight. THE ASSOCIATION’S PROGBESS.

■ Mr Jennens gave a great many interesting details of the inner working 1 of the Association and how the balance was kept in supplies. 'That their organisation did a lot of good must b 8 admitted. If he thought they were doing no gfood he would not spend five minutes of his time working for the poultry-keeping industry. Personally he believed, the pooling method was the basis of the Association because it meant the knowledge that for the same grade of egg, no man could get a bettef price than his next-door neighbour. Or if he lived ne*t to the Wellington station he would \ not get more than members further away. So far as Wellington was concerned they had gain- * ed a lot of new members—4o at least for the Wellington Association in the past three months, and they had. not lost any. During the past fortnight they had gained ten new members. He thanked the members very much for the expression of their, appreciation. He had told them many times, that , the whole business was well * worth while, and events were bearing out that anticipation more- and .more. He valued their present, not for its intrinsic worth, but for the inscription it bore and the goodwill behind it. He fully understood the support it represented and if he had been of any service to the Leviq Poultry-keepers/ Association, he thought he could claim that he had done his best. Theg had a very hard row to hoe at times and if they came through thiq year he could assure Them that they wjould have something very well worth\fighting for. (Applause). : k Mr Jennens ’ health was then toasted with enthusiasm, and, on the chairman’s motion, a hearty vote of thanks and appreciation, was passed to Messrs Cooper, Bates and Mumby, directors of the Wellington Poultry-keepers’ Association and nominee' of the N.Z. Association respectively for the carrying out of the export policy.