MARKETING HONEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 135, 9 June 1926, Page 10

MARKETING HONEY.

DIFFICULTIES OF FINANCE.

POSITION OF CO-OPERATIVE CO.

"I have invested £60 in this company. Has that sum been lost?" "It has been spent in advertising and goodwill. The money is as intact as our goodwill." The foregoing question by Mr. J. S. Cotterell, of Te Aroha, and the oracular answer of the chairman, Mr. T. E. Clark, epitomises the discussion which took place at the annual meeting of the N.Z. Co-operative Honey Producers' Association, Ltd., held at Hamilton yesterday. The directors, in their annual report, stated that although the final accounts for the 1925 business showed a loss of £400 0/6, the actual trading resulted in a small profit; the deficiency was accounted for by the loss of £1043 18/ made in the sale of the supplies business which was included in that year's accounts.

The auditors wrote drawing attention to the fact that the total liabilities of the company as shown by the balancesheet, other than capital, exceeded the assets by £7377 18/6, so that it was obvious that further losses of capital could not continue without jeopardising the position of the company. At the conclusion of a lengthy discussion a motion by Mr. Cotterell, expressing lack of confidence in the directors, failed to find a seconder.

Mr. Clark said the association had been almost bankrupt for seven years, but it had made some progress. It had started without capital, and had had to seek financial assistance from the bank. The liability to the bank had been reduced from £12,000 to £5000, and the liability to the association's London agents had been reduced from £16,000 to £11,000 in 18 months. Mr. Clark said he had faith in the concern, and had invested further money in it. Messrs. R. Gibb and J. Kentoul were re-elected auditors.

Over 100 members attended the annual conference of the National Beekeepers' Association of New Zealand at Hamilton yesterday, Mr. A. H. Davies presiding. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £100. The directors' report stated that a new branch had been formed in North Auckland, and sub-branches in South Auckland and Canterbury. The executive had been concerned regarding the requirement of the postal regulations which prohibited the use of solder on the inside of metal containers. The enforcement of this regulation was a serious matter to the beekeepers, as it meant that a large percentage of extractors, tanks and meltere, which were made of galvanised iron, would have to be scrapped. These regulations had been in existence in 1913, but they had not been enforced. No case of poisoning had been reported, and in America the use of galvanised iron for honey containers was not prohibited.

Reference was made to the pricecutting that was going on in connection with the sale of honey, and Mr. Davies stated that the present position was unsatisfactory to the producer, the storekeeper and the public, and only retarded consumption. Owing to the unfavourable season there had been a decrease of 200. tons of honey exported during the last season.

A lecture on the anatomy of the bee was given by Mr. R. Gibb. *