WAIKATO MILK SUPPLIERS UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 146, 22 June 1899, Page 3

WAIKATO MILK SUPPLIERS UNION.

The annual meeting of the Waikato Milk Suppliers Union wus held at Ohanpo on Tuesday. Mr J. Fisher, president, occupied the chair, and there were only about a dozen suppliers present. The chairman read the report lor the season 1898-99, which stated :—" Your delegates have pleasure in submitting a report for the season 18i)8-'.)9. When our union was formed it was with the intention of procuring better prices for our milk, and certain alterations in the conditions under which the Dairy Association purchased from the suppliers, und for the promotion and protection of the dairy industry in Waikato. The manager of the Dairy Association refused to recognise the union as a medium of communication between himself and the suppliers, but offered to sell the interest of the Association in its Waikato creameries j to the Union. This caused more am- i bitious proposals to be formulated, ! and though these proposals have not : proved acceptable to the majority of ! the suppliers we feel that they have j resulted in direct benefit to them, inasmuch as their introduction was the means of the impossible conditions, thereby making them available to i most of the creameries. The vexed question of the exchange on cheques had also been settled in favour of the I suppliers, the penal clauses on the j small factories had been removed, better prices for next season are assured, and by the advent in the district of a new firm of manufacturers, healthy competition has been secured. These results have fully justified the formation of the Union, and should encourage the suppliers to continue combination for the furtherance of the industry. The testing question cannot be saidto be settled, and it is recommended that each creamery should purchase a Babcock machine and appoint a committee* to check the manufacturer's tests. Wherever possible it is advisable that the suppliers should own the building and plani used for separating purposes, and this would make the suppliers more independent of the manufacturers." The report stated that thanks were due to the hon. see., Mr Butler, to Mr Geo. Edgcumbe of the "Waikato Argus," to Messrs Ambury and English to Mr Swarbrick, solicitor, and especially to Mr E. R. Hunt, who at his own cost and risk promoted the co-operative proposals, and through whose efforts Messrs Ambury and English were induced to extend their operations to Waikato. The report recommended the suppliers to show their gratitude to Mr Hunt in a sub-, stantial tangible form. Mr John Fisher, chairman, in movino> the adoption of the report said the small attendance showed a great lack of interest on behalf of the suppliers. He said the fight had been well fought, and he congratulated the suppliers upon its satisfactory conclusion. The motion was seconded by Mr Gane and the report unanimously adopted. The annual balance sheet snowing a credit balance of £2/12 was pre-

sented. Mr Greville of the "Wellington Dairyman" then proceeded to address the audience on the test question, and'the benefits of co-operation. A report of his address will appear later on .