INANGAHUA DAIRY FACTORY.

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 November 1918, Page 3

INANGAHUA DAIRY FACTORY.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Permit me through your -widely circulated journal to bring a matter of vital importance beiore the farmers and suppliers of thai Inangahua, Valley. The matter I refer to is the golden opportunity lost quite recently of establishing a, co-operative butter factory at Cronadun. Mr. Hoporoft, the late proprietor of the Inangahua factory, has retired on a, farm outside Palm - erston North, and is, I am pleased to learn, doing remarkably well. It is a matter for regret that Mr. Hopcroft did not call a public meeting of the farmers and suppliers In the valley and get the true feeling of a. meeting on a co-operatively owned concern. The manager at the present time is paying out 1/5 per lb. for butter fat, and this writer has not the slightest doubt that had the farmers owned their own dairy they would find at the end of the season that 1/8 or 1/10 per lb. for butter fat would be their just share. In Taranaki right throughout the dairying districts all the factories are co-operative investments. In the Waikato and North Auckland, and in other parts of the North Island the farmer is making his own butter and getting all the benefits thereby, and is selling his butter to the highest bidder, and he alone reaps the profit. When # farmer sells his butter fat at 1/5 to a private concern, private enterprise gets the benefit of ths market and the over-run, etc. When the farmers in the Inangahua Valley realise what profit is made after disposing of their fat at 1/5, then and only then will the demand oome from the majority for 00-operation. There are men and women in the valley who, if wisely chosen, are capable of running any business or enterprise which calls for the qualifications of efficiency, viz., initiative, progreasivenessi and honesty. In passing, so as not to be misunderstood, I would like to mention that the present manager of the factory is all that could be desired as such, and knows his business and work thoroughly. My contention, though, is that I would prefer him as manager of a co-operative factory owned and run and managed by the suppliers or farmers themselves. I would like to benefit the valley as a whole, and have touched lightly on the matter without going into details. Farmers and suppliers, speak put and let. us have your honest opinions. Now is the time. —I am, etc, W. N. MOORE.