WHATAWHATA.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1706, 12 June 1883, Page 2

WHATAWHATA.

A mbktino of settlers interested in starting 1 a cheese facttiry was held at' the Whatawhata Hotel im mediately after the adjourned meeting of ratepayers on Thursday last^ Mr Dawson in the chair. A good number of farmers living in and around Whatawhata were present, and there was a universal feeling in favour of prompt steps being taken at once to start the cheese and bacon business. A letter from Capt. Runciman was read, in answer to a request for his attendance, in which that gentleman gave the meeting some useful advice. Mr Skeates stated the amount of support he, nnd Ins colleagues had been promised in their paitial canvass of the district, this amounted to something ,over 300 shares, and about 1(50 cows. After some discus- 1 sion, the following resolutions were cat lied : " That the proposed cheese and bacon business be made into a company, with a nominal capital of £1500, in £1 shares, half the amount to be called up as follows : 2s 6d on application, 2s 6d on allotment, and the balance in Is calls, at intervals of not less than three months. The following settlers were appointed a committee to push the matter 6n :—: — Messrs Limmer, Skeates, Rothwell, Corboy, Macrcdie and Shepherd, the committee to meet again on the 14th." It will be seea from' the' foregoing that the Whatawhata settlers have not given up hope of having a factory started next season, and it is quiti time that some such business was commenced, for, as it is, all kinds of farm picluce seems to be dull of sale at low prices, and judging by experience of the last few years in this district, it takes the largest por* tion of the crops to pay the farmers expenses in labour, seed, and manure, leaving a very small margin to live upon, whereas, with a local factory and a fair piice for milk, the dairy fanner, whose mainstay would be grass, could, by growing a few acres of loots and hay, pretty well defy the contingencies of low and glutted markets, which make the farming business at present at present the most anxious, miserably paid and toilsome that is to be found in the country. There are men iv this district who are determined that the cheise business shall have a fair trial. The W.S.N. Company have made a liberal offer of timber upon easy terms, and if an appeal is" made to the many gentlemen, absentees, who hold land in this district, no d(wbt -we shall get it, then, Mr Editor, we^M^jO^forward to seeing advices in 'younflPK^ins that cheese made at the Whutawhata factory has fetched close up to, if not the top pi ice in the London market.-— (Cor* respondent.)