STRATFORD DAIRY COMPANY

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1917, Page 3

STRATFORD DAIRY COMPANY

To the Editor. Sir, —Your correspondent signing himself "Shareholder" when lie takes me to task for making misstatements has evidently rushed into print without reading my statement correctly. As my remarks re the Stratford directors having let a contract for the erection of a cheese factory of Stratford are prefaced by the words "Dame Rumor, who was ever a lying jade, hath it," etc. Again, after mentioning the rumor, which certainly never originated from me, my further remarks are agaiii prefaced by'the little word "If," which clears me of accusing the Stratford directors of having let a contract to erect a cheese factory aX Stratford. In regard to the comparison by "Shareholder" between the fox minus his tail and the Robson road suppliers it is ridiculous, and it would pay any branch of the Stratford ©airy Company and also the suppliers to the main factory to consult the Eltham Dairy Co. if they can get the Eltham Dairy Co. to erect their cheese factories on the same basis as they are erecting the cheese fac-. Tory for the Robson road suppliers. The chairman made it plain at the meeting of Stratford suppliers held to-day, that the share basis of the Stratford cheese factory will be a one-pound share to be taken lip for every 35 or 401bs of butter-fat, or about seven shares per cow. The Robson road-Eltham agreement is on the basis of 3 1-4 shares per cow on allotment to be adjusted at the end of the season at the rate of 571bs of butter-fat per one-pound share. I may mention the approximate cost of the cheese factory being erected for the Robson road suppliers will be £OOOO, or against Stratford £.")000, and yet Stratford's share basis is at least one-third higher than Eltham. The factory being erected by Eltham is a five-vat, full concrete walls and latest appliances, a house for the manager and also one for the first assistant, and a three-roomed cottage for any single assistants. To allow of a comparison being made between treatment of the Robson road suppliers by their own Stratford Company and the Eltham Company I can vouch for the truth that Eltham's terms nre exactly as quoted, and Stratford's irreducible minimum of terms quoted to us by the chairman was:—We Robson road suppliers sign a joint and several at the bank for £4OOO, to be paid off it four year 3; we take up 4000 onc-pound_ shares, every share to be allotted before the cheese factory is started, the term of payment of shares not to exceed four years. I would say for "Shareholder's" benefit, we at Robson road are not "whipping the cat" over leaving Stratford and joining Eltham, as by so doing we get a better factory and save ourselves at least one third of the liability Stratford directors would have put on our shoulders.—l am, etc., YOUR PUKEXGAHU CORRESPONDENT.