FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 52, 26 March 1909, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY.

A DAIUV BUSINESS MUDDLE.

A very unsatisfactory condition of affairs was revealed at a meeting of Hie shareholders of .the Jfcrtmiere Dairy Company on Saturday last. It appea'a .that the season's supply of butter was sold to an Auckland firm, whicn was evidently in a sound position, as far as tin directors ascertained, when the company made arrangements with it, and nothing was found amiss until two cheques for J December butter totally £ii2t>7 10s 9d,| were dishonoured, 23 suppliers, whose, losses lunge from £l2 to £ilu'4, being affected. Kecriiuinations were freely iu-j dulged in at the meeting of shareholders referred to. It was stated, for instance,, that rumours were current early in January respecting the firm in question, and it was asserted that the directors kept the general body of the shareholders in the background. According t» one speaker " the company was not a co-operative concern; it was simply a secret society." The chairman endeavoured to justify his position, but was jnet with the reply that the sooner the suppliers were warned of such trouble the better, so that they might be prevented from entering on engagements no strength of their expected cheques. Another peculiar feature- was that when a cheque was overdue for some weeks the directors and secretary do not appear to have bestirred themselves very much to ascertain the reason, while other companies wired immediately cheques were overdue, and none of these sustained such heavy losses as the Jleremere Company, cheques for them being cashed after the Jleremere cheque was due. ft was also stated tliat the talk had press ed the firm to become a limited lialiiiit; company so as to get security over tlr assets, but the secretary naively explain ed that it did not strike Uiui, nor did h think It struck many others, tha

" limited " would make such a differenceus it has done. The firm is now m liqui- ' datiou and it does 1101 appear likely that the dairy company will receive much after other creditors get their share. The suppliers have consequently been placed; in a very unfortunate position, and their experience should act as a warning to other dairy companies to see that their airairs are" conducted on proper lines. Of courses, losses are sometimes met with in all businesses. In this particular case it is worth while noting the difference in the methods employed by the dairy compauy and the bank, says thej Elth'am Argus.

If a district farmer were questioned] as to the next best thing to a plentiful autumn rainfall, he «rould probably reply, "A good maize field." There really seems no end of the reports of splendid crops from all sides. A Manaia resident mentioned the other day that his crop averaged eleven feet in height, while an- 1 other from Merenicre quoted only two less as the fine production of his field. Similar luxuriant growths are not by any means uncommon, although perhaps extra fertilising and favorable aspects have raised these a little above the average yield. Of quite recent introduction for autumn green feed purposes, maize lias quickly established itself to a high standard with Taranaki farmers, aud is likely to retain its position. The variety known as has been mentioned as the most desirable for green feeding purposes, and the planting of two and a-half bushels pelade is considered to produce favorable I all-round results. As maize-growing is 1 practically in its infancy in this district, there is much to learn iu the way of producing its maximum possibilities. Thereiore any information as to variety, quantity of seed per acre, different manures and their effects, together with any other items of interest about its production, will be gladly published.—Star. i Writes the South Taranaki correspon-j dent of the New Zealand Times :—I have been advised that there has been quite a drop of 30 per cent, to (iO per cent, in the milk supplies at all the factories here. Welcome rains have been the order tliis last week, but too late to do the good that was needed. Water has been scarcer than at any time since the Wiiimute Plains have been peopled, which is about twenty-nine years. Last winter was dry, and the spring ditto, hence most welis, creeks and tanks soon wn dry. Notwithstanding the scarcity of water factory managers and directors are having a good deal of trouble ■with the suppliers watering milk. The Itiverdale factory at every testing gives the lactometer "test for water, side by side with the Babeock test for butter-fat. I think it would pay all factories to do the same, as it acts as a guide and warning to those interested. I intend to say ■.nore on this subject inter on. when the time is more opportune. The cheese factories will ere long he found paying on. the casein test instead of the lmUcr-fal It is the curd that is wanted for cheese-j making, and there is no curd in water. Kor I lie class of cheese we manufacture for the Home market, all the butter-fat i> not used, and the makers will bear me out that in the first whey run oil' from Ihe vats there is butter-fat amongst it. Several lines of fat cattle and sheep are wait'ng for room at Waitara works, which are L'oing "at top." There are. 1 hear, enough stock held in the vicinity of the works (o keep them going till the end of this month. With Patea harbour standing still, we are glad to see Wanganui Harbour Hoard looking ahead and keeping pace with the increasing production of the district. Horsvs are very unsaleable just now, with tlie exception of good weight-carry-ing hacks, which are always worth up to thirty pounds, but they are hard to get. Calves have hardened in price, anil, in place of 5s to 10s, are bringing up to 20s now. A good number of dairy cows are not in calf, and heifers coining into profit in the spring will be keenly competed for before long.