STRATFORD DAIRY FACTORY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 34, 3 August 1911, Page 3

STRATFORD DAIRY FACTORY

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of shareholders of ■ the Stratford Co-operative Dairy Factory Company was held at* the Town Hall on Tuesday morning. CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS. The report and balance-slieet were taken as read, In moving their adoption, the chair■u aaid tie Stratford company in rather a different position to neighboring companies. Other companies had realised on their freezing works shares; but the Stratford Company had not done so, ami could always lay its hands on the money due to them in this respect, and he thought that it was highly desirable that the company should always have some such nest-egg. If the whole of the company's buildings wire destroyed this money would be very 'handy. He went into the relations of the company with the ligmont Box Company, voicing the opinion that suppliers would do the best for themselves if they sthek to the Box Company. AS' to manure,. shareholders should at once order their supplies. The local company did not stock manures, nor did the National Dairy Association—if the stuff were stocked there would at once be expense for storage. If the manure were to be supplied cheaply it must be got in quantities. Nothing could be done if the company were approached every now and again by farmers asking for a few tons of manure—farmers should at once make up their minds as to how much manure they wanted for the year. The company was seventh on the grading list. There had been'a fire at the factory, and it was intended to re-build in, brick. Herd-testing had only been taken up at the central factory. At an early date shareholders would have to consider the question of the Toko some different time-table being necessary. The I directors had gone into the question of I installing a motor-lorry, but, it. had been found that the lorry could not be workI ed to advantage owing to the bad grade lon Sangster's Hill. The matter of carriage of the Toko cream was getting | very acute. On Saturday last he had I met the employees of the company, and lie was very well impressed by them. I They could make good butter, but they I demanded on their part that they be ! supplied with good milk. Mr. Sangster said some action should be taken in regard to buying shares. According to the balance-sheet it appeared that the value of the company's shares was somewhere in the vicinity of £2. He thought it was very well to purchase largo quantities of manure through the National Dairy Association, but as regards the purchase of cow and horse covers; he thought, if the difference in price were not too great, that local dealers should be given preference. Mr. Lehmann asked why there was ■ so much of an increase in the cost of " labor as compared with last year.

The chairman said a man had had to be engaged to look after the pasteuriser, ft was said that other factories worked with one man less than the Stratford factory.' Perhaps they had got into an okl-faahioned groove, out of which they might probably get during the ensuing year.

Mr. Rawles asked why the directors had made a donation to the A. and P. Association. He thought the directors had no right to do so. He thought the show would die a natural death—otherwise lie would move an amendment to

the balance-sheet, a thing he would not like to do. The chairman said the directors certainly had a right to make such donations. It was gjven for the encouragement of agriculture, and the sum voted represented about a shilling a head of tho shareholders. Neighboring companies hadi mades imilar donations. Mr. Lehmann said that if the directors wished to "make a name for themselves" they should have subscribed the amount out of their own pockets. The chairman said he was chairman of the A, and P. Association, and his position had cost him more than the ten guineas given by the dairy factory, including the shilling a head. (Laughter).

Mr. Marfell said the money had been voted for a special class at the show. The report and balance-sheet were adopted.

* OPENING THE FACTORY. The chairman said he had heard requests that the factory should be opened at once. The factory had had to be closed for repairs, and he did not think it could be opened before Monday next, but this would carry out the shareholders' wish to have the factory opened on the Monday nearest to August 10. Personally, lie believed in keeping the factory opened for the whole year, and he thought a qow would bo all the better for being milked up to six weeks before calving. Most of the employees were yearly hands, and the factory manager said there would be no great expense in keeping open the whole year. Mr. Sangster said lie was against milking all the year round./, He thought those who milked throughout the summer deserved some rest, and he was sure the farmer would lose more than he would gain, his other work falling back. A shareholder . said the shareholders had placed the business in the hands of the directors, and he presumed the direotors would keep the factory open so long as such a course seemed to be good business. ,

SHIFTING THE MAIN FACTORY.

| Mr. Webb moved: That this meeting [ recommends to the incoming directors that it is advisable to move the main factory to Skinner road, where waterpower can be got, also a railway siding, and two creameries can be put outside the borough Of Stratford. Mr. Webb said there would be a great saving if the factory were shifted to Skinner road. There would be a big saving in the coal bill, and there would also be a saving on the carting of butter to the , railway, as a railway siding could be provided at Skinner road.

PROPOSED AMALGAMATION. The chairman said the Huiakama Dairy Company had approached the* directors with a view to amalgamation. The directors desired some direction from the meeting. Mr. Marfell moved that the directors meet the Huiakama, Company with a view to amalgamation. , Mr. Sungster seconded. He thought it would be discourteous to Huiakama not to do something with the proposal, lie objected to a dog-in-the-manger policy. Several creameries had been lost to Stratford which would not have been lost had a proper business spirit been shown. The chairman said the directors would protect 4he interests of shareholders. If the Huiakama Company was deeply in debt care would be taken that the Huiakama shareholders did not come in on the same footing as Stratford shareholders. After a short discussion the motion was, carried. ■M : ELECTION .OP DIRECTORS. 'Messrs. Marfcll, Gangster and Lehmann were elected to fill vacancies caused by retirements; and Messrs. Robson and Milne were elected to fill vacancies caused by resignations.—Post.