SOUTH TARANAKI DAIRYING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 31 July 1926, Page 4

SOUTH TARANAKI DAIRYING.

KAKARAMEA COMPANY,

SIXTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING

The first of this year’s annual general meetings .of dairy factory companies in South Taranaki took place yesterday afternoon when twenty-four shareholders of the Ivakaramea Co-op. Dairy Co., Ltd., assembled in the Kakaramea .Hall for the sixteenth annual meeting. Mr A. Pearce, chairman of directors, presided. "The company has had a very suc j cessfuT season and will compare favourably with any other on the coast selling under similar circumstances," said the chairman, in moving the adoption of the report (published in Thursday’s Star) and balance-sheet. "Those factories,’’ ho continued, "who sold the whole season’s output will probably come out a little ahead, but with those who, similar to ourselves, sold the first half-year only, we will show -a fair average comparison*.mentioning the average test of 4.1 S and the amount of cheese manufactured (1,132,D131T>5), he pointed out that a big ehceso production on high quality milk had been realised. The financial year ended on June 30. Since then a bonus of Id per lb butter-fat had been paid to suppliers, the amount involved being approximately £ISOO. 1/7A PAY-OUT EXPECTED. It was estimated that from the balance of cheese unsold a further return of 3d per lb butter-fat would be real- 1 ised, making a pay-out of Is 7Jd for the season. Referring to the coming season, he f expressed the opinion that the outlook ■ was not optimistic in view* of the natural result which could be expected from the recent labour unrest. Mr Pearce thought, that the aftermath of the strike would curtail the spending ; power of consumers in Great Britain 1 and would affect not only the dairying 1 industry of the Dominion, but the wool and meat markets as well. Despite the injunction of the Prime Minister to continue producing and increase the output, the speaker regretted he must advance the opinion already expressed.

As a means of assisting the farming industry generally, he suggested that the Government should be approached with the request that bulk supplies of manure sufficient to meet a season’s requirements should be purebred and made available to farmers throughout the country. If such a scheme were adopted farmers should receive a big concession on the rates at present paid, and extensive benefits would accrue to the country’s primary industries. The chairman also referred to the subject of testing. He stressed the opinion that if the adoption of the system were made obligatory in all dairy, herds, wide improvements would result and many animals jealously retained because of pedigree would be found unworthy and culled to make way for, butter-fat producers. Mr F. S. Tarrant, who seconded the motion, extended congratulations to the factory manager and staff on the result of the season’s work.

The motion veas adopted after a brief discussion. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

Messrs H. J. Hall, F. S. Tarrant and D. Chamberlain were nominated for election to the two vacancies on the directorate caused through the retirement, by effluxion of time, of Messrs Tarrant and Chamberlain. Messrs Hall and Tarrant were elected. Suitable responses were given by the three contestants.

Mr ~T. D. G. Thomson was appointed, as auditor at an increased remunerai tion. The remuneration of the chairman of directors and the directors was fixed on the same scale as previpusly. ■ Appreciative reference was made to the work carried out during the season by the manager, Mr 6. Mcharry and a bonus of £SO, as previously, was voted unanimously. GENERAL.

Remarking upon the proposal for the appointment of Government inspectors with authority to visit herds and milking sheds and insist upon necessary measures to secure purity of milk or cream supplied to factories, the chairman said the scheme had been approved by the directorate. The company’s quota to the expense would be £35, but it was considered the amount would bo well spent as the scheme would prove of great advantage. It would be exceedingly helpful to managers who would thereby be assured that the material they received would be in the best possible condition, and it would further relieve managers of the responsibility for direct action against those whose supply to the factory might, through impurity, prove a handicap to the quality of the linished product. Mr Tarrant supported the chairman’s remarks, and pointed out that the directors had been unanimous in their opinion concerning the matter. Complimentary reference to the work being conducted by the dairy laboratory established by the Federation of Taranaki factories was made by the chairman, who said the services rendered by (Mr P. O. Veale) were proving very valuable to factory managers and dairymen, and intimated that future research work would be highly beneficial to the district.

A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.