CO-OPERATION IN TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 January 1919, Page 3

CO-OPERATION IN TARANAKI.

A FURTHER STEP.' PROPOSED CASEIN 'FACTORY.

Tanuiaki has, in dairying matters especially, for many, years past been looked upon, as the home of co-operation in New Zealand. Iu addition to owning their co-operative dairy factories, tiio Taranaki dairy fanner now owns his own box factory, killing and freezing works, bacon factory, etc., and there ia every probability tliat in a short time, as the outcome of a meeting held afc Inglewood yesterday, convened by tlie« Mangorei Dairy Company, a co-opera-cive casein factory will shortly be added to the list. Mr. A. Morton, chairman of the Mangorei Dairy Company, presided, and there were present about 40 representatives of butter factories, Moa Farmers, Maketawa, Midhirst, Waitara Road, Omata, Opunake, Mangorei,. Tikorangi and Stratford. After Mr. Morton had briefly outlin-* ed tlie objects of the meeting, Mr.'Smith (Waitara Road) suggested that the meeting should he given an opportunity to discuss the question of the sale of butter to the Imperial Government, which waa considered unsatisfactory by many of them. This was done at length. When the casein question was resumed the chairman stated that, recognising the difference in the price between the pay-out of factories manufacturing butter and cheese, the Mangorei directors considered that It would be necessary to manufacture casein in order to make up that difference. It would also be necessary to secure all the profits by drying the casein. They had therefore circularised all factories now making the green, curd, and those that did not, to see whether they would be in favor of combining to erect a complete drying plant. Of ten companies circularised favorable replies were received from seven, and only one was opposed to the proposal." In order to obtain all the information possible on th« subject he had invited Mr. Cwldie, the dairy commissioner, to "be present at the meeting, and had asked him to allow Mr. Petersen, who was an expert on casein, to be also present. This Mr. Cuddie Had willingly agreed to do. Unfortunately 1:1s telegram to Mr. Petersen had not been delivered in time to enable him to be present. MrMorton stated that he knew that the department would willingly give them all possible assistance, even to the' extent of putting experts in to do the work until such time as they could procure qualified men. The difference in the pay-out between cheese and butter was now so great that the only way to pnt butter factories in line with cheese factories was by undertaking the manufacture of casein. A good many factories were now manufacturing green card and supplying the New Zealand Casein Company at Wanganui, from whom they received from 2%d to 3d per lb butterfat. In his opinion, if the whole manufacture was in the hands of a co-opera- [ tive concern dairy farmers would prob- ! ably receive something like 50 per cent, more. It was, he thought, high tiifie the dairy factories should take up the matter on a co-operative basis and not allow proprietary concerns to come in and take the cream as they did at present' The Dairy Department supplied figures showing that the approximate cost of the erection of a factory capable of handling 500 tons per annum would be £6144, whilst probably a factory capable of dealing with 1000 tons could be erected at much less cost proportionately. Ho believed they would have sufficient casein available to justify the erection and equipment of a 1005-ton factory, and this would enable them to nay out a considerable advance in price. He had no actual experience of casein, his company for different reasons not havin? cone in for casein, the primary objection being that the cream of it was taken by proprietary concerns, but as soon as a co-operative drying factory was decided on they were prepared to consider the matter Tiio demand for casein was increasing every day, as fresh uses were being found for it, and there was no doubt about an assured market- At present the pric-a for dried casein at Home was £OO to £BO for skim milk, and £SO for butter milk

To Mr. Shottcr: The cost ol equipping a 500-ton factory with all new machinery is £6441 The total cost of production was estimated at £l-2 10s including cost of making wet curd—£4. Tt took 8000 gallons based on whole milk to make one ton of dried casein.

Mi Brown (Maketawa) asked whether it had been definitely decided to abandon the manufacture of dried milk. Mr. Morton said that the Committee would meet the following day to make it-i report The manufacture of casern wcuhl put butter factories on the same basis as cheese factories regarding the manufacture of sugar of milk Mr. Hickey strongly favored co-operation, but they had to consider whether there was sufficient casein available to taaka a drying factory worth while.

In reply to -Mr. Teates, Mr. Bowman (Midhirst) explained the method of testing for moisture, in green curd. Mr. G. Colson (Mangorei) said that if it paid a proprietary concern to take the iasein to Wanganui to dry it, it should certainly pay tliem to erect- a cooperative factory. Mr. Shottcr pointed out that a considerable quantity of casein was still in New Zealand owing to shortage of shipping. The chairman pointed out that- if thev decided to embark in the venture it would he October or November before they would have their factory in working order. By that time it was possible that the shipping position would have improver! and they could get. the stuff away. In any case they could obtain an advance on it.

Mr. Smith (Waitara Road) said ft at his company had been manufacturing casein for some time, and were looking forward to the time when they could get all that was in it. They could not look forward to getting all the milk (•'•at was supplied to the factory Ilig!' testing factories conld not pay out on a butter-fat basis, but on a milk basin as the casein teal did not vary in the s.nnic proportion as the butter fat. Ho strongly advised every factory going in for car-eiu to insist that all suppliers must leave their milk for casein. The prospects for butter and casein were, he thought, better than for cheese, and he strongly advocated the formation of a co-operative casein factory. They should erect a factory as close to a railwav and sis close to a port as possible. Atone time- Waitara was favored, as thev co-oht then get coal from Mokavi, And could ship to the liners in the Teanitead, Regarding the sunplv available, Mr. Morton sain" that if all the milk were £eft for casein he had calculated that

there would be one ton of casein for .every l'/ s ton of butter produced, and in addition from the buttermilk they couid obtain five ton of casein for every ',IOB tons of butter. If they were able !to give better prices for casein taoy would get more milk left

Mr. Colson said that something would i&ave to be done so as to bring the price paid out by butter factories more in line with cheese, otherwise all would want to go in for cheese-

The chairman suggested that if the meeting favored the proposal a committee should be set up to go into the matter and report at a meeting to be held say in a month. Shares in the Casein Company, if formed, would be allocated on an output basis, as in the case of tlf! Box Company, etc- It was a question to be decided by the committee whether each individual company should pay for the delivery of the green curd to the casein factory, or whether i the Casein Company should pay it. The latter idea would probably be more lit accordance with co-operation. After Mr. Brown (Maketawa) had given further particulars on the sub.' \*i Mr. Smith (Waitara ißoad) moved thaV in the opinion of this meeting of butter "factories it is desirable to form a com pany in North Taranaki for the com pitta manufacture of casein, and fat such purpose to erect and equip a casein factory in the North Taranaki district. This wi.i seconded by Mr. Bell (Omata) and carried.

On the motion of Messrs Rowlands and Hall it waa resolved that a committee of nine, consisting of one representative from each company, be set up to make full enquiries into the question and report at a subsequent meeting of delegates to be held in Inglewood. The chairman said that "it wa* quite possible the results of that morning'* deliberations would prove of great service to the dairying industry in North Taranaki. The committee would keep in view the best interests of the Indus try. It was, he remarked, quite poff «ible that when they got back to not* mal conditions, that is when the 1m perial Government ceased to buy their produce, and the millions of men were no longer to be fed by the Government, that butter and casein would be found to be a better paying proposition than cheese, and in that case some factories now making cheese would turn to butter. This point of view would "be kept in mind when considering the size of the casein factory. They would only require to cater for the needs of North Taranaki, because if the South Taranaki Companies went m for casein they would form their own company. Votes of thanks to the Mangorei Dairy Company foT (jonvemng the meeting, and to the chairman concluded the meeting.

At a subsequent meeting of the committee Mr. A. Morton was elected chair man.