POULTRY PRODUCERS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20039, 22 September 1930, Page 8

POULTRY PRODUCERS.

A SUCCESSFUL YEAR

THE E.NJ'OKT PROBLEM

The annual general meeting of 1

Canterbury Co-operative Poultry Pro dueers, Ltd., was held on Saturday evening, Mr E. J. Jloss presiding. The directors' report staled:--

"The past, twelve months, taking together both summer and winter, has averaged'very. well, for producers. The (summer price was not as high as wc could have wished, but aiitumn and winter prices were very solid, and although they did. not soar xcry high, they were kept at a very, good average .for a long period, which, in the opinion of tlie directors, is the best policy. . "The prospects for the coming flush season do not appear as hopeful on the surface as we would like to see, as the courpany, co-operating with the New Zealand Poultry Association, and other Associations throughout the Dominion, has not been .successful in obtaining a, guarantee or subsidy from the Government for the export of eggs, although a. deputation went, to the Hon. G. VT. I'qrbvs, Prime .Minister, and to the Hon. A..'. Murdoch, Minister for Agriculture.

"The company in the past has always taken the largest share in Canterbury in exporting eggs for the benefit of all suppliers, when their own ■ suppliers through this method have suffered financially. The directors feel that 'they cannot, export any longer under the same conditions, although the company and its suppliers are quite willing to take a fair and just share in-exporting, providing all producers and societies ship accordingly on a pro rata basis. The directors intend calling a public met ting shortly of all poultry producers to see if anything can be done to export some eggs to relieve the local market.

"The New Zealand Poultry Association has been successful in getting the Government to see if a grading and marketing scheme somewhat similar to that in force in Canada cannot be introduced. The Government lias voted £.500 to inaugurate the scheme. Representatives of merchants, grocers, Government, and producers from each centre have met to frame conditions. If the scheme is adopted, the new grading scale will be a big help to producers. "The brightest outlook for the flush season is the fact that all surplus pulp that has been held h-- been used up in the four centre.--. '■ represented somewhere in the i.f 200,000

dozen eggs which v to Tic provided for this year. ~. i-uly leaves a surplus of 50,000 0i..-,- ~bat was ex-' ported last year from the Dominion. "The company has had a very successful year financially, as the balancesheet will show. Wo have had a net profit of £1241 8s 10d for the year's working, and are now showing in the profit and loss appropriation account £1750 ".s 4d. The company has written down assets very heavily to consolidate the company's position. The directors recommend to shareholders to place £565 -Is Sd to reserve for bad and doubtful' debts, £250 to export, palp, and egg equalisation account, which will bring that reserve up to £4OO, write off office furniture £.120, off plant £79 IGs 3d, Ford motor £65, and pav a dividend of 6 per cent., and-carry forward £256 12s sd.

''The company's turnover in both eggs and poultry has again increased, frtiicb.. goes to prove that the company's methods must be satisfactory. The directors have changed oiic of the sale days from Saturday to Friday, and although poultry still continues ±o come forward in small lots on Saturdays, the new scheme is working very well.'" The report.pays .a tribute to. the officers of the Department of Agriculture for assistance freely given. The retiring directors. Messrs E. W. Hawke, M.P., and W. E. Green, were re-elected. Messrs A. L. Gray and <"o. were reappointed auditors.

Need for Unity. The chairman sajd, concerning a, meeting of general egg-producers, whjck Is to be held on September 27th, that there was strong need for unit}' if any concerted action was to be made in the direction of export. At present export was at a disadvantage. They would not get as much for eggs on the English market as they did here,' and the other man, selling in Canterbury only, had the advantage of the local'price. If a Government guarantee could be obtained then it would be possible to go ahead with export, but without it they could not get more than 10 pence per dozen in England. Mr B. W. Hawke, M.P.. said that everything was ready to start the operation of the grading laws, but there was a difference between the ideas of the Department and the salesmen concerning "A*' grade eggs. Tho trouble was that there were too many "blacklegs," and the Government realised the lack of unity among the producers. Till all could realise Ihc need for co-opera-tion the Government would not see that it had the right to action.