MERGER.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 285, 7 May 1898, Page 3

MERGER.

* Creamery.—The Mercer Cieamery has closed for the present—its first—season on Saturday last, 30th ult., the supply being insufficient to warrant the DairyAssociation continuing to manipulate the milk for another month. For the last few weeks the quantity ot milk received daily scarcely averaged a hundred gallons, and at no time since the opening of the creamery has tho amount reached 400 gallons, a guarantee to supply which was given by the sett'ers before the Association agreed to commence opera tious at Mercer ; however, a penalty of one farthing per gallon, deducted from the schedule of prices paid for milk at the Waikato creameries, has been rigidly adhered to on account of this shortcoming, and as a consequence the suppliers themselves have been the sufferers, seeing that during a great portion of the season the amount thus saved to the Association must have been pretty neaily sufficient to pay the wages of the creamery manager. The latter position baa been filled by Mr Bush, who, while looking well after the interests of the Association, has alsa succeeded in rendering himself popular with the suppliers. It is, I understand, the intention of the proprietors to open the creamery again next season, notwithstanding the fact that the past ODe cannot be regarded as having produced altogether satisfactory results to either the purchasers or suppliers of milk ; but this is mainly attributable to the want of preparation ou the part of suppliers, owing to the association only deciding to open a creamery at Mercer immediately prior to the commencement of the seison. When operations start again next spring the number of cows milked for the Mercer creamery will pro bably be more than double that of the season just closed. Home Again.-—Our local custodian of law and order, Constable Hobson, has returned from the Rotorua district, where he has been spending his holiday. During his absence, Constable Hobson's eluties have been discharged by Constable Oliphant, from Auckland, but they have been of a very light nature. " Bob " made himtelf well liked during his brief stay in Mercer—as indeed, he is everywhere else, by all save evil-doers. .Shooting Season.—A large number of sportsmen came from town and elsewhere to slaughter the wild ducks on the opening day ot the season and several very good " bags " were made, thcugh the birds in the vicinity of the river were not nearly so numerous as they were a few weeks back, having taken themselves to the lakes and elsewhere. After the scare they have had, they are likely to be very wild for some time to come.— (Own Correspondent).