MAORI EFFICIENCY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 56, 7 March 1930, Page 15

MAORI EFFICIENCY

GOOD DAIRYMEN

OBLIGATIONS MET

There could be no better instance of the determination of the Maori to succeed ia the dairying industry and the tenacity displayed in making this success assured than the operations of members of the Ngati-Porou tribe in the Waiapu valley and further northwards in To Araroa and Hicks Bay areas, states the "Poverty Bay Herald." During the five seasons of operation the butter _ output of the laetory at Faiatoria: has been raised from 60 tons in the first period to 280 tons in 1028-29,.' while for the current dairying period to date approximately" 260 tons has been manufactured, with the expectation of no less than 350 tons for the whole of the season. The industry on the East Coast has been helped greatly this season by a lush growth right up. to the present, and there is now more feed in the pastures than there has been at this time of the year since the establishment of the dairying industry in those parts. The present season, therefore, has been one of the most favourable experienced, for during the past two autumns very dry conditions prevailed, and hastened the process of drying off the cows, with a consequent loss in production. A MAORI CONCERN. One of the factors in the season's increased manufactm-e is the participation of about- 25 new suppliers, bringing the total number of dairymen connected with the company up to ISO. The new suppliers, who are mostly in the vicinity of Te Araroa and Hicks Bay, have only a small number of cows at present, but they anticipate building up their herds for greater production in the near future, a process which has been accomplished by many of the older suppliers. Most of the 25 new members of the company have only recently secured titles for their land, and it is expected that as the process of consolidation of native'interests proceeds more and more Maoris will take on dairying. This company ia almost entirely a Maori one. About 90 per cent, of the suppliers are Maoris, while the bulk of the work in manufacture is done by Maori labour. The secretarial staff is comprised, of pakehas, while the factory is under the control of a European manager, but Maoris do the whole of the other work in connection with the manufacturing end. Of the nine directors, eight are Maoris, who are ' efficiently guided by then- chairman, Sir Apirana Ngata. Although it only had ii .small beginning, it if? now the" largest Maori dairying concern in existence, and the efficiency of its operation is-unquestioned. REPAYMENT OF LOANSi Those Natives who commenced dairying when the company came into existence aro reported to be doing well, and, with the use of carefully: selected cattle, including pedigree Jersey, bulls of good butter-fat strain purchased from Taranaki, together with lessons learned from the adoption of herd testing, they have built up good herds, which" are now producing a good deal better than many of older standing belonging' to pakehas. The success of these men aroused a great deal of enthusiasm among others, and the large increase, in the number of suppliers is due- in a great measure to the ; determined efforts of the pioneers of the industry in those parts. - For the purpose of starting Maoris in the dairying business/the company adopted the practice of making advances for the purchase of stock, machinery, and implements, and in five years of operation . thousands -of pounds have been loaned out. -The Maoris have accepted their obligations' in the. right spirit, and. no trouble^ has 'been ■; experienced in tho collection of interest .or' principal repayments, leaving'no . defaulters whatever. In supplying a Press, representative with this information a few days ago, Mr. ,J. D. Fenn. secretary of the company, pointed out that, of; the advances.made for the purchase ..of .■ stock- for , tho first season's operations, -'every ■'■>pehny* of "interest •■'anil'; principal had been repaid.- As this moneywas returned to the ' company it was loaned out again to finance others in tho dairying business^. , SALES OF BUTTER. The Maoris have been' helped considerably in meeting .'.their financial : obligations owing to the fact that the past few seasons have been good ones for marketing, the payments made to suppliers being sufficient to make dairying a most payable, industry. Last season the average butterfat payments, approached the Is Cd mark, but the average, will not be nearly so greaj; for the present period in view of, the low state of; the butter market. However, the increased /supplies, induced by a most favourable season should make up to some extent for the reduced payments. The company has been fortunate in that it arranged some good sales early in the season, the September and October make being disposed of ,on an f.o.b. basis at Is S% per lb, while other lots were sold at slightly,lower rates: .In all, about 25 per cent, of the current season's total output was sold at'satisfactory f.o.b. rates. The advance payments at the beginning of the season, therefore, were fairly high, being Is 4d per lb of butter-fat supplied, but With the fall in the butter market the advances have dropped since to Is 2d.