FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 159, 30 July 1909, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY.

DAIRY FACTORY MEETINGS. STRATFORD. The annual general meeting of shareholders of the Stratford Farmers Cooperative Association, Limited, was held on Monday, Mr 11. Dingle, chairman of directors, presiding. There was a good attendance of shareholders. The balance-sheet was taken as read, showing butter sales totalling £01,143 8s 3d payment to suppliers £40,235 14s and wages i>aid £lisUl 7s 4d. Ihe working account shows a balance pf lis Id, which brings the average paid for butter-fat for 'the year uj) to 10.83 d per lb. . .hi moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet the Chairman said he i did so with gratification and pleasure. I That in the final wash-up they had found j that they had been able to make a larger payment than anticipated was very satisfactory to all concerned, xh* number of suppliers had gone dow i slightly this year they would notice, but the quantity of milk received had been more and the test higher, 'llu butter was now analysed at certain periods at New Plymouth to ensure that they were not getting over 10 per cent of moisture, allowed by the Act in it, which was something they desired td avoid. It was the man at Home who re tailed butter who would be prosecuted if an infringement took place, and he thought it would be disastrous if say the Stratford Company's butter or in tV.ct any butter from the Dominion, were I nt Home in such a condition as to :i.;i .<> prosecution possible. They had «•.. .i i. .ireful in the past and would be more careful in the future to avoid trouble of this sort. The year had been a good one, and they had paid out 10.495 d per lb. for butter right throu rh the season. This was certainly a matter for congratulation. ? In reply to Mr Rawles, who asked for! figures regarding the cost of working the various creameries the following statement showing cost per 1000 gallons •of milk was read by the secretary \Mr Fustier) Makuri, 40s lid ; Douglas, 24s lOd ; Toko lload, 17s 7d ; Toko, IGs ; llobson lload. 13s lOd ; thinner Road, 14s od ; Gordon Road, 12s 8-1. The Chairman said that they were assuied that a good deal more milk would be supplied this year at Makuri. Thte directors did not like this sort of thing, but recognising that it was a duty to help a # weaker 7 brother, had considered it wourd be advisable to give unotner twelve months' trial before taking steps to relieve i!:< company of the burden.

There wi.t live nominations for three directors to take the place of Messrs Corbett, Lees, and C. Smith, who retire by rotation. A ballot was taken, resulting as under : J. 11. Corbett 52, A. Faull 50, W. 11. Were 45, A. Stewart 39, r and F. A. Lees 24. The lirst three were declared elected. Jlr liawles moved that the Honda." nearest to August 10th be tile opening date at tile main factory each year.— Carried.

.Mr T. Harry Pen; 1 was re-appointed auditor. Mr D. Maxwell moved : " That in the opinion of this meeting the Company should pay interest 011 share capital.' 1 —Negatived. Hearty votes of thanks were accorded the Secretary, Manager and staff on the Chairman's motion, Mr Dingle eulogising Mr Batey's good work, and also stating how fortunate the directors considered themselves in obtaining Mr Fastier's services as secretary. At a subsequent meeting of directors, Mr. Dingle was re-elected chairman.— Post. COMBINATION AND CO-OPEKATIOM.

Referring to the Home Agent (National Dairy Association) subscription at tin* annual meeting of share-holders of the .Farmers' Co-operative Association, Mr K. Dingle, chairman of directors, said that last year they had been induced to join the scheme and he was convinced the £7O charged to them wis money well spent. He was convinced that Mr .Ylackie had done good forj Stratford and for other companies. In one item alone he was satisfied that Mr Mackie had more than saved the £"0 which they had contributed to the fund. This was in the matter of the Papnroa fire, and the. shipment of their butter on that vessel. At Mr Maekic's instiga-i tion a certain policy had been carried out and every producer in the Association who hac! butter ou the Paparoa at, i-at time came out on top. -Personally!

Iv. re from past experience he had exI ,>(. 'd thnt the Panama's butter would ivc brought in about lftOs per cwt no fumid ii had realised 1355, and thiswa - : lar<r» / ov/iug to Mr Mackie's efforts. A new ><'hen;e .was now proposal with regard i*' representation in I.< don. AH the cu.-junies were wantci .. come in and ti> induce them to do s;> the Xation ui Dairy Association had decided to reduce the contribution from 2s Gd pc-r ton to Is 3d on butter, and from Is 3d pej* ton to T'/od oil cheese. If they lrid a man at Home who could biiy their parchment ipaper and salt and .some other things in large quantities on the most'favourable terms, they would save moncv. Mr Dingle also alluded 1o th':: necessity for judicious manuring of thovr land, and mentioned tlic results of certain experiments in top-dressing, • s evidencing its need. They were, he said, at a alafje when they ought to be raising two blades of grass where they now grew only one. If they had a good man at «Home acting as their agent they would save not onlv hundreds of pounds, but thousands of pounds. Lieferring to th e work of the National Dairy Association, Mr Dingle expiafn:'d that companies consigning through the Association last year had received a rebate equalling all they had contributed towards the Home Agent fund. Their idea of co-operation had been as farmers to ft do away with the middle man as far as possible. There was one middle-man —the one who ran about the , country to buy their outputs—who was costing them from £SOUb tu £10,001) per annum, and though he was a good fellow they could do without 'him. Last year he (the. speaker) had thought they could probably do as well with their consignments as if they sent them through tho Association, but he knev better now, and realised tliat it would have been to their advantage to have consigned through the Dairy Association, and he should strongly favour thai course being taken this year.

I We have received £lOlll ,\lr. A. I'). Sykes a, comprehensive pamplilci ilealm(i with m alters of vital interest, 1,0 dairy farmers. The title of the booklet "Farm Losses, and how they may lie .prevented." Every progressive dairyiiiuii may glean much useful information iiv a perusal of the booklet. Amongst the contents "will he found a breeders' table, up-to-date methods of securing bigger milk cheques, directions on the treatment of cows during t()e calving season, the prevention and spreading of diseases, symptoms of diseases, etc. The booklet also contains many sterling testimonials from prominent breeders anil veterinary experts in Xew Zealand and Australia, giving their experiences of the splendid results secured through using Sykes' cattle medicines. Any farmer or person interested who lias not received the booklet may obtain a free copy by applying to Mr. A. 13. Sykes, Xew Plymouth, At a. "social" given recently lo milksuppliers of the "Mataitra Dairy Factory the secretary supplied some interesting figures relating to the increase in value of the local factory's output. Tn 18SS they paid the suppliers £1.10(1; in 1 SOS, £3057 (at the rate of 7%d per Hi); in 180!), £0770; in 1008, £0075; ill 1000. £14:350 (at the rate of Is 2il per lb of butter-fat). 111 1002 reports the directors had said: '•Though the quantity of milk supplied has fallen off considerably, the price got for c heeso "n,allies us to pay what must lie considered a very fair price. oi/,il per 11> of butter-fat." The chairman remarked (hat lliey would not like to go back to that price. Sneaking a( the annual meeting of *lii""">liolders, A. Itrown. chairman '■f <1 •"tors of the Jlidhirst Dairy Cornwall remarked that many of tiic prcM'lit -uiipliers. being coinparalivelv rocein arrivals in the district, would not "her the earlier davs of the Midhirst Company, when it' h ad such an anxious time while endeavoring to rise off til® ground, consequently a few figures showing the amazing growth the company liad made might prove inter-

csting. The plant, originally valued (inclusive of creameries) at *£,1070 waa now worth £9015. The annual butter output ha<l risen from 130'/* tons for the first year to 483»/ s tons last year, and the cash received h ad increased to £t>l 1 ,701, as against £14383 for the company's first y ear. As showing the saving effected in manufacture, he might mention that whereas in the earlier days 24.4H> of milk had b evil used to produce one pound of butter, at the present time 21.001b of milk proJ duced a pound of butter. The overrun | formerly 3M), was now 14.10 '