COASTAL DAIRYING.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1917, Page 7

COASTAL DAIRYING.

, A MONBBR HONORED. iPEBSBNTATION TO MR. NEWTON ram Mr. Newton King, whose name will always be associated with the progress of dairying in Tar&naki. ft long the coast, 'was on Monday the Recipient of a presentation address on the occasion of his severing his co■ tic® with the Okato Dairy Company, he having ibeen chairman of directors ever since it was taken over from the Crown Dairy Company, of which he was one of the principal owners. 'When nominations were being called at th« annual meeting for the election of two directors, Mr. Newton King asked the meeting to relieve fcim of his position which he had held since its inception in 1006. Since then the company had gene on very well. There were several reasons, he thought, why he should retire, tlhe principal one being that he had recently been appointed chairman of iUe Harbor Boards In which position to Would still be aJbU to look aiter the interests of farmers. He had, he said, promised to carry the company through its initial troubles and had remained chairman of directors for twelve years. They were now in * good financial position and had an able body of directors, any one of whom could take up the cliairmaaxship. Thejr financial position (was strong; and it-' wouM not cause then* any great worry if thoy should make a mistake involving ft loss of £looo—-a contrast to the early days when they had an uphill fight. He outlined the progress made iby the Company since 1900. Then there were 49 suppliers as against 50 now, hit eo slight Sr. increase -pap <iu6 to tfcfe loss of Ox- > ford and Petone Koad ftttppiliers. His ii'rst <»-directors isere the ',jate Mr. Carey Messrs. A. Oorbett and A. G, Knight, who were still (with them, Metcalfe, who had left the district. The milk yield was 7,187,8971 ibs as compared with 1 1,212,40611 m this year, and the tests were 5.72 as compared with 3,86 now. They had, however, learnt a little in regard to the overrun. This in the days of the Crown Dairy Company was from C to 8 per cent., hut when the Okato Dairy Company commenced operations it rose to 12.275 and last year, when they made butter, the overrun was 22 per cent. This increase was principally due to the introduction of th» combined ekuxn whMi cnaljled mora moisture to be incorporated. The first year the company paid out 9.06 d pel lb butter-fat, as compared iwith Is 9%d per lb this season (including deductions for factory and butter-fat levy) an increase of about Is per lb. He thanked the suppliers for the confidence reposed in Mm by placing htm as chairman of directors for the past itwelvn year*. He had always got on well with the other members of the directorate. They may have had differences of opinion, tout there was no quarrelling. The factory Was generally well managed, the directors put in a lot of ,tiroe, and, aa a re-, suit the factory was now at tho top of the tree. In Mr. McLeod, too, they had an excellent manager, one triio would stand no' nonsense, but Was thoroughly competent and keen in the interest of tho, company, which was of course their interests.

Mr. Grant: "You Save stuck to us so long, see us through iihe war." Mr. King, in dceltffing, said that there would be no difficulties in the way Of finance to face; as the Government would again commandeer the cheese. Mr. W. J. Gray, one of {fie (Ureetors, and a very old resident of the coast, voiced tihe feelings of all Widen lie safe! that Mr. King's services to the district had extended over «. great many years, and his severance from the directorate would be a great Wow. to a number 0? his old friends, not only on aocount of his twelve years' fts9oSiatiOh with the directorate, but for hia long service to the district during transaction's extending over 30 or 40 years. Well did the speaker remeijjber being present with others, of whom one of two were still left, and Mr. King Mi6ft <th<s site for the water pov. nr for the ©ld (frown factory was selected. While deeply regretting Mr. King's resignation, he had much pleasure in handing liim an illuminated address as a slight memento of his association with the factory. (Applause), i The address, iwiieh was -designed by Mr Lee and eswuted by McLeod, 'Ltd., tf*s a tawlfome and artistic piece of worJrmanslun, In the top centre was a monogram, whilst on the right hand top corner was a plate of the Old Crown Dairy Olcato factory, which, was recently burnt down. OH the left hand corner was the modern Kaibihi cheese factory which replaced it, and on the sides wers views of the two branch factories. Punllio and Leith rand. Tt was nicely ornamented with a "scroll. The text was as follows: To Newton King, Esq.-

Pear Sir, —> The directors, ghaTShoM«l'% and suppliers of the Okato and Puniho Cooperative Dairy Factory Company, Ltd:, have learned wiUi genuine regret your decision to relWqulSh the position of chairman of directors of the company, which you have continuously filled with distinction to yourself and profit to tbo company ever since its formation 12 years ago. Fr6m ther Inception of the Crown Dairy Company 25 years ago you have been continuously. *nd intimately associated with the dairy factorial of the Okato and 'Puffiho dS'triclS Ami wa take this Opportunity of expressing our appreciation of the veomaTi service which you have rendered the district in the development of th dairying industry. Your wide experience of every aspect of farming and trading and your accumulated expert knowledge have alwavs been unsparingly Applied to the affairs of this company and have contributed in a maximum degree to the success that has attended its operations. We recognise flhat baring assumed responsibilities of chainnan of the New Plvmouth Harbar Board in addition to your many other private and public activities the calls upon your time no longer permit you to continue as our chairman, but we feel confident that we mflj always rely on your support, judgment and advice whenever such might be sought. , Wishing von. Mrs. King ajid family, many years of health and happiness, we remain, on behalf of the' suppliers, yours faithfully,— W. J. CRAY, J. WOOLPRITXiE. W. BLN'NIE, R. C. HENRY, R. T. PeppereH, Sec.

'Mr. King, who |was quite taken by surprise, stated that lie' appreciated the presentation more than money, as a memento of the lotig acquaintance with the district. The esteem In which hj» was held by settlers of the Okato district had always "been a pleasure to him even in the daya when he purclias--14 sh«ir s® l4 were eal-

led, When 000 look ad back on those days and compared tiiein wi-Ji these fcho differenoe -was very marked. If his adTicc Tvaa wanted at e»y time in connection with the factory or tic district; lie would' always be pleased to giva it. As he r-eswned bis seat* Mr'. King was accorded three hearty cheer*.