HUGE CONCERN

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 December 1928, Page 5

HUGE CONCERN

N.Z. CO. OP. DAIRY CO

MR, STERLING GIVES FIGURES. I The remarkable volume of business done by the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Coy., Ltd., and the progress made by the company during the last three years, were illustrated by figures quoted at a social function in his honour, on Thursday evening by Mr H. H. Sterling, wlio lias relinquished the post of general manager of the company to assume officially the position of general manager of the New Zealand Railways. Mr Sterling said that the output of all classes of dairy produce manufactured by the company had increased from 30,215 tons in 1926, the year he became general manager, to 35,155 tons last year. The number of suppliers had increased in the same period from 7111 to about 8000, while the number of shareholders had increased from 9923 to 10,417. The company now employed 848 people, against 774 in 1926, while, since the intermediate credit system had come into operation, the company had been instrumental in financing 362 suppliers to the extent of £40,000. The paid up capital of the company had increased from £907,936 to £1,056,041 in the last three years. The annual turnover of the company now stood at £6,333,000, an increase of over £1,000,000. in the last three years. The business in fertilisers during the last year amounted to £55,000 for slag and £117,000 for phosphate, while coal valued at £15,400 was sold by the company last year. Mr Sterling remarked that, although the dairy farmer was essentially an individualist, -the figures he had quoted showed what.could be done by organisation and co-operation.