MORE CHEESE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21176, 27 July 1940, Page 9

MORE CHEESE

s PLANS TO PRODUCE CAMBRIDGE DISTRICT REPORT 3 APPEAL TO ALL SUPPLIERS (Times Special Reporter) 1 CAMBRIDGE, Friday s Appealing to the suppliers to make 3 every effort to assist the company to t' contribute towards fulfilling Great - Britain’s requirements for an extra - 15.000 tens of cheese next season, the i chairman of the Cambridge Co--1 1 operative Dairy Company, Mr - :W. Harbutt, at the annual meet- - ing today, stated that he was 1 confident that the rrmnany could 2 manufacture at least GSO extra tons. i He was sure the suppliers would rise • to the occasion and in many cases : endure even hardships so that the extra cheese could be supplied to i Britain. It was even possible that the extra production of the company t would reach 1000 tons. , In order to increase its production i of cheese, the Cambridge company [ had arranged for the installation of ; one extra vat in every one of its six factories, said Mr Harbutt. It was . hoped that suppliers would change to , cheese factories and remain for the entire season. i Mr Harbutt considered that if each , of the six extra vats could be kept ; full for 180 days in the season the , company could make an extra 450 ' tons of cheese. If the flush were , maintained at all factories from January to the end of May an extra 214 tons of cheese would be made. That would mean a minimum extra ; production of cheese of at least 660 j tons. Possibly Better

i “We should be able to do better ! than that,” said Mr Harbutt, stating , : that the suppliers would have to be prepared to face up to inconveniences involved in changing from supplying butter factories. “I might almost say that you are going to be drilled so that we can keep these i vats full. If any supplier receives a ■ request from the company to take a i certain quantity of supply to a cheese j factory at any time, I hope, although it. might be inconvenient to him, that he will co-operate in every way possible.” The change from butter to cheese supply would involve many suppliers in considerable expense, Mr Harbutt went on, but he was hopeful i of receiving Government assistance to j meet expenditure on extra cans, I coolers and other equipment iby the cheese supplier. The board l of directors would not be able to pay these costs, although some cases might merit assistance from the directorate. Explaining the arrangements agreed upon by the various companies to undertake the effort for greater cheese production, Mr Harbutt stated that suppliers who changed to cheese | would be paid for cheese supply, while those remaining on butter supply would be paid accordingly. Any suppliers of the Cambridge company who, through convenience of location, changed their supply to another company would be paid-out by the Cambridge company. The company would receive payment for the supply from the other company. All j financial business, as usual, would be carried out between the original company and the supplier. Suggestion Regarding Cans Mr Harbutt commented upon the difficulties being experienced in securing sufficient cans to handle the extra supply to cheese factories. He suggested that farmers supplying cheese factories should lend cans to other suppliers until the flush supply was reached. Cheese production would be commenced by the company on August 10. Mr G. A. Walsh said that practically the entire burden of supplying the extra 15,000 tons of cheese to Britain would fall upon the Waikato. In the South Island the majority of the production was already cheese and little increase could be expected. In Taranaki, Manawatu and Wairarapa th«* factories were too far apart to allow for any considerable transfer of supply from butter to cheese. Increased cheese production was not possible in the North Auckland district. In the South AucKland area 71,000 tops of butter was produced last year in 37 creameries, while 17,180 tons of cheese was produced in 31 factories. With careful organisation, the province could fulfil the extra demand. Greater cheese production would not only be helping Britain but, in the opinion of Mr Harbutt, the financial position of the suppliers would also be strengthened. At the present time Britain was holding good stocks of butter but more cheese was required. If butter suppliers switched to cheese, the supply of butter on the home market would be eased and the glut after the war would not be as great.

BRENTWOOD COMPANY PRODUCTION OF CHEESE (Times Special Reporter) CAMBRIDGE, Friday Very little extra cheese production could be expected from the Bruntwood Co-operative Dairy Company, stated the chairman, Mr W. A. Perry, at the annual meeting of the company in Cambridge today. At the present time the factory was producing at full capacity and few extra suppliers could be expected from the Bruntwood district as it was situated between the supply districts of Cambridge and the New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company. A few home-separating farmers in the district could be expected to supply the ; Bruntwood factory but, for the most J part, the company would have to j rely on its own suppliers for in- ; creased output. That would depend i largely, however, upon the seasonal | conditions, Mr Perry added. Mr Perry said he understood that cheese would receive preference in shipping space over other produce. As an indication of this he quoted figures showing the increased shipping of Bruntwood cheese recently. At May 31, 1939, the company had 2579 crates in store, whereas at the same time this year there were 3247 crates in store. At July 26, 1939, 1 there were still 1473 crates in store but at the present time, despite the j big volume on hand in May, only 484 crates were being held. The im-

provement in shipping was 1700 crates, revealing the urgent need of cheese in Britain. Supply of Cans It appeared, added Mr Perry, that it would not be long before all last season's cheese would be shipped. Then the company would be able to pay out a little additional. With reference to the supply of cans, Mr Perry said that any supplier possessing old cans could take them to the factory and the company would have them re-tinned. Commenting upon the extra cost in which suppliers would become involved in changing from butter to cheese supply, Mr Perry outlined the approaches made to the Government and also the fact that it had been suggested that a levy should be made on the dairy industry to meet the costs. It was a matter still to be clarified but he considered the individual supplier should not have to bear it.