DAIRY FARMERS CONFER

Evening Star, Issue 22047, 5 June 1935, Page 9

DAIRY FARMERS CONFER

SOUTH ISLAND ASSOCIATION MEETING DIFFICULT YEAR REVIEWED The annual meeting of the South Island Dairy Association of New Zealand Ltd. opened in the Y.M.C.A. assembly' hall this morning. There was a large attendance, the chairman of the directorate (Mr John Smith, of Oware) presiding. “ STILL IN GRIP OF DEPRESSION.” In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet (already published), the chairman said that those statements spoke for themselves. The year could bo called a fairly satisfactory one. Although only a small surplus (£B3) was shown, if this were added to the capital fund the latter stood at £14,341, The surplus might seem very small, but it indicated that the association was not a profit-making concern, but existed to provide service to the companies. This had been their aim all through the year. They would have liked to have further reduced the cost of requisites to the factories, but this could only be effected by whole-hearted support. As the business went up, so were overhead costs reduced. The chairman added that, while they appreciated the support of so many factories, they felt that there were several who could help more. It was pleasing to note the amount of business in the machinery department. It was hoped that more would be done in this line, as there could be no doubt that it had been the means of keeping prices down to a reasonable level. Members would notice that as a result of negotiations with the Otago Harbour Board, wharfage charges had been reduced from 2s to Is, and also through the efforts of the Bluff Cool Stores and the association the Bluff Harbour Board had agreed to raise the number, of crates representing a ton from 12 to 13. v Mr Smith was sorry that they were not meeting under more favourable conditions than those that prevailed at the, present time. They still seemed to be in the grip of depression. Looking back over the year one could not say that they were better off than a ve'ar ago. Dairy produce was at the same level, and other primary products were still very low. With these low prices, and the possibility of either a quota or levy hanging over their heads, the prospects were anything hut bright. But it was always darkest before the dawn, and they could only 'hope that things would take a turn for the better. ,

“ When we met, last year the Dairy Commission was sitting, and we were then hoping that vyhen its reports wore completed there would be evolved something that would help the industry,”» continued Mr Smith. “No doubt that will come in time.” He wept on to refer to the, measures' taken by the Government, to assist the fanner, and had no doubt that good results would come from them. , It had been stated a year ago by one speaker that he did not think that manufacturing costs in factories could he , reduced any further without interfering with efficiency. The . chairman was of the opinion that this still held. He considered, however, that it might be pos-. sible to reduce costs on the farm. Many dairy farmers;,-had. ,practically come to the end of thinV resources,' and there was a great deal stacked up against the day of better prices. It was very gratifying to know that their produce generally was giving satisfaction overseas, and Mr , Smith urged that everyone should, stick to his job in the spirit of loyalty and co-opera-tion. He then moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. DECREASE IN REVENUE. Mr A. P. Fleming, seconding the motion for the adoption of the report, said that members would realise that their revenue during the last year or two had decreased, but . the fact that they had been able to. put away a little capital year by year had resulted in the sum of £14,341 being now available. This meant that the association’s position to-day was stronger than it had ever been. After mentioning that promissory notes were not now required, the’ speaker said that, despite some indications to the contrary, the industry was. by no means round' the corner towards prosperity. What was needed now and in the future was a spirit of co-operation and harmony. They should ask for what they wanted with a united voice, and he thought they should all be behind the Control Board in its actions, QUALITY AND GRADING. Mr C. R. Smith drew attention to quality butter, in which there had been a decline. He asked if this was due to a lower quality of butter or a higher standard of grading. He felt that the whole industry was behind the department in getting the quality right, hut it seemed that the standard had been raised rather severely. Mr Smith apr pealed for loyalty and mutual support within the industry. Mr 0. Rutledge said that the fault in quality had lain with the season and the quality of the cream, which had neither the body nor the flavour. It had been an unusually dry season, and the food for the stock had not been up to the standard of most seasons. Mr W. M. Singleton, said that, as far as Dunedin was concerned, there had been no change in the grading for years. There had been a change , at Bluff, hut nevertheless the reduction had been greater in Dunedin than at Bluff- IAI , A delegate remarked that, although there had also been a drought in the North Island, the quality there had gone up. He did not know how that could be explained. . , , The report was adopted without further discussion. ADDRESS BY MR A. MORTON. Mr A. Morton (president of the National Dairy Association) said there had not been the same need for cooperation between the two associations as had existed before the establishment of the Dairy Board, but all the same in the North Island they did appreciate the collaboration ot t«6 South Island. After congratulating the association on its financial position, Mr Morton appealed for the loyal support of all members and condemned any suggestion of apathy, ;vhich; he said, led to extra expense. He regretted that it had been said that the association had not been able to keep up the quality of its produce, because he felt that any decline m that direction was due to outside conditions which could not be avoided. He did not think they could look to the Government for any help lor their industry; they could look only to -a rise in prices, which could be attained only by supplying P rodl ’“ the best possible quality. They shou d study as far as, they could, not only to maintain their standard, but also improve it to the poult at which no further improvement was possible.

This year climatic conditions had proved a hardship. Mr Morton concluded by saying that research work should proceed. After suggesting that the use of fertilisers was a matter that required investigation, he said that, the research workers must be provided with ample financial support to carry out their investigations. _ Their rivals were by no means idle in that respect. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS. There were three nominations for the directorate. The retiring directors were Mr John Smith and Mr A. P. Fleming, nominations being received in their favour and also in favour of Mr H. C. Anderson. An. election for the two vacant seats resulted in Messrs Smith and Anderson being appointed. AUDITOR. Mr J. W. Smeaton was again elected auditor. AWARDS COMMITTEE. The report of the Awards Committee was presented by Mr G. R. Herron, who reviewed the agreements made with the Otago and Southland Factory Managers’ Union and the Factory Assistants’ Union. The report was adopted, several speakers paying a particular tribute tothe value of the late Mr W. E. M'Lean, of Mosgiel, in connection with industrial awards. • The following Awards Committee was then . appointed :—Messrs Herron, W. Y. Dickie, and A. H. Templeton. " BOBBY ” CALVES. Moving the adoption of the Calves Committee’s report, Mr . Herron recalled the fact that early last July the Government, at the request of the Meat Board, had placed an embargo on the export of “ hobby ” calf veal. A strong protest bad been made to the Prime Minister, and representations bad also been made by the Dairy Board and other bodies, without any permanent result. The embargo had been lifted till the end of this month, and what was going to happen after that he did not know. It might depend oh the result of Mr Coates’s meat negotiations in the Old Country. In the circumstances it was gratifying that the farmers had kept up the supply of calves very well, the number having dropped; by only 3.500 during the season. The sum of £3,280 (68j per cent.) had been divided among the suppliers. The report was adopted, and the present committee was re-elected. PRESENTATION OF TROPHIES. Mr J. A. M'Callum, Kokatahi factory, Westland, the winner of the association’s award for the highest average grade for export butter, was presented with the trophy. The chairman added that- Mr M'Callum had secured this award on three occasions, and consequently the trophy now went into his permanent possession. Incidentally, the award had gone to West Coast factories for the last seven years. Mr T. Y. Aris, Omimi factory, was awarded the cheese 'trophy in absentia. This was his second win.

DAIRY RESEARCH. Ik F. H. M'Dowall, of the Dairy Research Institute, outlined the work that was being done at the institute, stating that the Dairy Division had a staff which helped the factory managers to solve the problems that beset them. As regards one or two of those problems they had had to take a “pot shot” at the solution. One of these was the openness in cheese, a question on which the Research Institute was at present' " engaged. Most of '• the conclusions that had been arrived at from the bacteriological point of view- had come in a roundabout and often ah unexpected way. Some promising results, however, had been achieved, and they could only crave patience till the time when something definite had been ascertained* The cheese-yielding - contents of milk could be estimated very accurately, ’ and their cheese tables’were thoroughly worked out. Dr M-Dowall dealt also with the J question ; of “ starters,” the ripening of cheese, taint, and discolouration, stating that if they kept air from coming into cheese they would avoid discolouration as much as possible.