NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14407, 15 July 1912, Page 3

NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING

The eighteenth annual meeting of the National Dairy Association ot NewZealand, Ltd., wius held in Palmerston North during Show week. Mr Arthur Morton (Egmont Village, Taranaki) presided, and there were about 80 delegates present. When the roll, was called, shortly after tho opening of the proceedings, tho fo| lowing were represented :—Cooperative companies, Awahuri, .ultima/Ballance, Belvedere, Bell Block Carririgton, Collingwood. Dalefield Eltham, Featberston, Glen Oroua 'Hawera. Hikurangi, Jolls, Kakaramea. Kaponga. Kaupokonui, Kairanga, Levin, Longbush. Lowgarth. Leprerton. Mangatoki, Mangorei. Mauriceville, Mangatainoka, Moa Farmers. Maketawa. Manngatapcre, Ngaire. Norinanoy, Norse wood. Northern Wairoa, Omata, Oakiira, Opotiki. Parkvale. Kiverdale. Rongotea. Stratford Farmers. Shannon, Taratahi. Tikorangi Tarata, fararua, Tariki, Tauranca. Thames Valley, Tamaki, Whangaiei. i, rea * alu! Waipii. Exporters—Bray _-! r ? s " " ,t?,lin Ston. Pearson and Kutter, Foley Jiros.. Sydney, Clements and Sons, Collett and Co., (.. H. Buckerldge, and Lonsdale and Co. The annual report and balance-sbee f - were taken as read, and discussion of them was then opened by tho chairman

CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS. Mr Morton congratulated tho association on the result of tho year's work. Tho .finances had materially improved, and the ultimate result was ono oi' which they could have no reason to bo ashamed. Much of tho increase in tho subscriptions wero due to new membership irom tho Auckland province. Thero had been a reduction in commission on Consignments owing to less produce having been put through the association than had been sent through in the previous year. There had been a reduction in the goods in store, which showed that tho association carried no dead stock; everything in the stores was fresh and up-to-date. The association's indenting busiiress had increased nioro than ho had thought was possible in one season. If people would only realise what advantages there were to bo gained in this way, they ffonld make more, use of tho association than they did. The outstanding feature of last year, the chairman continued, had been tho very bad spring. Possibly there had been no year equal to it for low production. A good autumn had followed, but even that could.not make up tho losses sustained by the bad spring. So much did a bad season count that, probably, tho loss m three months amounted to £115.000 or £120,000, in exports, of dairy produce alone. The prico of dairy produce had kept up bsyorid all expectations. Britain would probably be our cheese market for somo timo to come, but it seemed clear that Britain was to become in a lesser degree our butter market, as thero were big openings on the Continent and in Northern America. According to experts on the Homo market, our butter had been of tho highest quality last season. During tho year considerable advances had been mado in tho utilisation of by-products, notably tho making of whey butter. Whey butter-niak- ■ iiiK-was to bo further extended in tho coming season. An officer of the State Dairy Division (Mr Peterson* was now abroad enquiring into tho possibilities of the casein industry. This industry would have to be approached with caution, but they would havo moro to go on when Mr Peterson made his report.

Mr Morton said that whey butter was being, exported as creamery butter, .This was a state of, things ho objected to.r as he did not think it was going to 'enhance .tho reputation of our creamery butter. Be thought that those in power, should see that whoy butter was ;bfand'ed!!in!/son»e jpther-way than as, creamery butter* -..-_...- _'"■■• The chairman asked the members to endeavour to. see, that butter intended for the Continent was free of boracic acid. Tho Continental laws prohibited the. preservative, and if butter was sent into thoso countries, represented as being free of preservative, and when analysed was found to contain boracic acid, thero would, of course, bo trouble, which, in tho first instance, would fall on tho companies handling the produce. Tho placing of the produce, would, he-observed, have, to bo seriously considered, and while on this point he remarked that thero were 60,000 boxes of butter in cool store.

He thought that the pastures should be given more attention, and that better methods of farming should bo adopted. They should go in for much more intensive cultivation. They should make more use of tho plough; the more they nloughed. tho greater their profits. They should go in more for manuring nnd do more cow-testing, and nay better attention to their calves.

Prospects for the coming season wero bright. As ho had already said, Northern America and tlio Continent wero providing butter markets, and he understood that the Continent would bo represented in New Zealand tliis coming season for the purpose of buying butter. Cheese prospects, too, wero good. The prosperity of England and the Continent was so great, and so assured, that the high prices of our produce were, also, assured. So, tho future was satisfactory indeed.

The Chairman then formally moved the adoption of thc report . and tho balance-sheet. The motion was carried without dissent. OFFICERS. It, was mentioned that- Messrs A. MaoFarlane (Pahiattia) and W. Fisher (Carterton) were retiring, by rotation, from the directorate.

Mr R. Dingle (Stratford) moved that Messrs MacFarlano and Fisher should be re-elected.

Mr G. A. Adlam (Oakura) seconded

There wero no other nominations, and the motion was carried unanimously. Mr J. Marx (Mangatoki) spoke in praise of tho work of the executive, and moved that the chairman should bo voted £50, and tho other members of tho executive £20 each. This motion was also carried. Mr C. D. Morpeth was re-elected auditor. BRANDING OF BUTTER, ETC. Mr Hubbard (Thames Valley) had given notice to move a proposal which had for its object regulations which would ensure that home-separated butter would be branded as-such, so as to distinguish it ' from creamery butter. He, however, asked leave" to withdraw the motion, and his request was granted.

It was proposed to alter Article .1 of tho association by making a new scale of subscriptions. The old scale ranged from £1 to £8, and the proposed scale ranged from £2 to £35 (up to 810 tons £2, and over 2000 tons £35). This motion was moved by the chairman, and was seconded by Mr J Burgess (Warea), ilr J - Marx (Mangatoki) moved, as a , n amendment, tnat the proposed scale should be increased by 50 per cent-, but be subsequently withdrew his proposal. *

In the course of an explanation of the motion, the chairman said that the directors considered that the most feasible and the best proposal was to mafce all the offices one, which was to i sa _™',"ll the offices would be sup- i ported alike from the ordinary funds i of i, th % association, i ♦i, + +!? y asked how it was i tnat the scale proposed would have i small factories charged 4_ per ton and aboat 4d **- r ton - f .vuairinan e .i*' said that a scale of . tnis land was a very difficult thing to j

arrange, and he remarked that the tonnago was not by any means the only matter to be" considered when making the scale. In several respects small shipments created as much work as big ones. The motion was carried; only one voice was raised against it. Mr Wakelin (Whangarei) moved: " That the conference should consider tho fixing of a standard scale of tare for butter for export, and that the allowance on 561b should be four ounces."

It was stated that, at the present time, a pound per box was allowed for shrinkage on the voyage to England. This was thought to be too much. Mr Connor (Bell Block) seconded tho motion. Mr Nathan thought that the matter should stand over until after the executive luid conferred with the buyers. At that conference an attempt would bo made to get out a uniform contract. The Dairy Commissioner (Mr DCuddie) said "that the experience of tho Department showed that there was .-» shrinkage of 3oz or -toz per box on tho way home. Sir Nathan's amendment was carried. The second day of the Conference was occupied by listening to addresses and papers given by various experts.