THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 171, 21 July 1928, Page 4

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

MAUNGATAPERE.

COMPANY'S ANNUAL MEETING,

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") WHANGAREI, Friday.

I At the twenty-first annual meeting of the Maungatapere Dairy Company to-day, the chairman, Mr. J. H. Hayward, and the other retiring directors, Messrs. R. Feaver and F. G. Watson, were reelected without opposition. The balancesheet showed production for the year of 518 torus 16cwt 2qr 21b, which was 3 tons 12cwt better than for last year. The average test of cream was 39.779, against 40.223 per cent the previous season, With reference to the box company, which ceased operations in the Parakao bush, the chairman maintained that even if the capital invested warn not fully recovered, the investment had coused a great saving in the cost of boxes, besides giving kahikatea boxes which were better than imported Swedish. However, the importation of the latter had compelled such a reduction in price that operations had to cease. But for that the venture would have been distinctly profitable. The company had declared a dividend of 3% per cent to financial shareholders, the idea of the low return being to endeavour to induce nonsuppliers holding shares to sell. Bobby Veal Trade. There was a long discussion regarding the proposed development of the veal industry. In the absence of definite information from the _ National Dairy Association, no resolution was recorded. After discussion on the rural credits scheme, Mr. Porter, dairying instructor, entered a strong plea for herd testing to be more generally undertaken, and a canvass of suppliers prepared to join yielded a fairly satisfactory response. The Gum Lands. Caustic comment was made regarding a conflict of the opinion of Mr. J. H. Patterson, ex-instructor in agriculture, who stated that Puwera experimental farm had proved that gum lands could be brought into profitable use for an expenditure of £15 per acre, and that of the Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister of Agriculture, who said nobody alive could tell what it had cost to develop the poor land at Puwera. It was decided to endeavour to get some elucidation of the evident contradiction, but at the same time it was emphasised that anyone who said the gum lands could be developed by the workless or others without capital did not know what they were talking about. Improving Herds. Directors were empowered to arrange assistance to those requiring up to a limit of £50 for-the purchase of young pedigree herd bulls from recognised milking strains, with a view to bettering the general standard of herds supplying the factory. If arrangements can be made with the Whangarei and Hikurangi companies to join in, the Maungatapere directors have been recommended to indent a shipload of basic slag to be distributed to supplier^. A resolution opposing the reintroduction of daylight saving was carried by applause, although the factory manager stated he did not see how its operation last year had been much affected, as it simply meant that cream collecting contractors became punctual instead of about an hour late.