DAIRY COMPANIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1919, Page 9

DAIRY COMPANIES.

MEREMERE. The twenty-fourth annual meeting was held ai the Scholohouse on Saturday. There were sixteen suppliers present. Mr. D. J. Williams, chairman, presided. The report and balance-sheet were adopted on the motion of the chairman. ' The annual report showed the cost of manufacture to be: Ohangai 1.51 d, Pokomoko Pokomok, with a slightly better yield, would pay out Is Jl3-lOd, Oliangai Is 11 l-sd. The price of cheese and the conditions of sale for next season would bo the same as lor the past year, viz., lO'&d per lb. f.0.b., the company paying two months' storage. The balance-sheet showed that &27/JUU had ken paid out for milk, requisites totalled 1)11)72, coal wages £1750, repairs £ulU, depreciation insurance and rates £302, while £38,928 had been received for cheese and £llOO for butter. There was a balance at the end of the year of £4360. Statistics for Die year were as follows (Oliangai being mentioned first in oaeh instance) : Milk C,X4l,;r>7lbs and 2,07!),21 libs, total 8,920,5781b5; butter-fat 2y"»,8021b5. and 80,7951b5., total 33f),9!>71b5.; average test 3.73y and 3 #O7, average. 3.7G(>; cheese manufactured imS,9o7lbs. and 2i5,1731b5., total S-J7,UBolbs.; whey Witter manufactured 16,4151b5.; lbs. cheese from lib fat, 2 0.~7 and 2.720; lbs. milk to lib cheese, 10.67 and y.33; cost of manufacture per lb. cheese. 1.49 d and 1.54 d; cost of manufacture per lb. (including depreciation) ].t!2d and 1.59 d; cost f.o.b. (including depreciation), 1.73 d and 1.70 d. Mr. Williams urged members to seriously endeavour to Increase production i?i their dairy herds. The Industries Committee's report showed that the average output of the dairy cows of the Dominion was 161 lbs. per cow. In six years there had been ail increase of 10 lbs., and if this average was brought up to 200 lbs. the resulting gain would bo £2,700,000 for the industry. Altfiough some Taranaki herds averaged 300 lbs. Jlot more than 10 per cent, were over 200 lbs. As the result of the epidemic, they had suffered a loss of about £4OO on whey butter, while cheose had to be kept in the factory, the two causes resulting in a loss probably of from £'soo to £6OO. There had been an increase in the cost of manufacture, due to wages having increased by £384, depreciation by £IOO. fuel by £249, and freights by £3OO, equal to an increase of •183 d per lb. of butter-fat. The chairman said that Mr. Laishley, from Pokomoko had been appointed manager at Meremere. His ratia of 2.72 would be hard to beat. The small output of butter at Pokomoko had been due to the dilapidated state of the building and to the inability to secure new parts for the separator, but these wore now both repaired and work was going on better. The keeping of separate accounts showed that the cost of manufacture was a little less at Pokomoko. In second the motion, Mr. W. T. Wells said that their obejet iu separate accounts had been secured. He considered they should run now as one concern. In answer to a question, the chairman said that tho output was increased by 39 tons, and now stood at over 100 tons. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS. .

For four vacancies iliut liad occurred, llcssrs, I'. Shealian, (J. Williams, .1. Walker, and W. T. Wells (in place of ,1. S. Dyson, resigned) were elected.

In the matter of the directors' fees it was decided that tliey be as formerly. Mr. B. A. Lenuon was reappointed auditor at the same remuneration as before.

The questloa of the amount to be paid for veils was briefly discussed. The chairman said it was necessary to pay sufficient to encourage the suppliers to keep them. It was resolved that 5s be paid for first grade and Is tid for second, »9 far as possible all to be brought in by the end of October. Mr. Wells suggested that one day each month be set down for receiving. On the motion of Mr. P. Sheahan, a hearty vote of appreclaiton was passed to the secretary, Miss Beamish, whose work, ho felt sure, was -as satisfactory as that of any secretary In the province. 11l seconding the motion, the chairman said the secretary's work made for smooth running, and was a very great pleasure to the directors. M!ss Beamish briefly acknowledged.—Htar.