DAIRY FACTORIES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 11 October 1922, Page 5

DAIRY FACTORIES.

CHECKING THE RETURNS

SUPPLIERS' INTERESTS CONSERVED.

(By Telegraph—Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 10.

The right of dairy suppliers to secure an independent audit of dairy factory accounts with a view to obtaining full and accurate returns is the main feature of the amendment of the Dairy Industry Act introduced by the Minister for Agriculture. The Bill extends the definition of dairy factory to cover butter and cheese factories, "condensed milt, milk powder, and other factories engaged in the manufacture of dairy produce, including skimming stations, buying and receiving stations, and all other premises auxiliary to a dairy factory. It is provided that where milk and cream are^purcßasea on the basis of payment for the percentage of but-ter-fat the percentage shall be determined by the BabcocE, Gerber or oSSer prescribed test. DETAILS OF OVEBitUN. A certified statement under "the hand of a registered accountant must oe supplied to suppliers not later jnan j two months after the. close of each - financial year, showing the following details: (a) Weight of butter (correct to four places of decimals) made from each pound of butter-fat used for the manufacture of butter; (b) percentage which the weight of unsalted butter manufactured bears to the total weight of butter manufactured; (c) weight of cheese (correct to two places of decimals) made from each pound of butterfat used for the manufacture of cheese. Factory weight may be taken as correct, but in connection with" export the cheese shall Jbe checked against the check weights supplied by a grader of i dairy produce. Within six months of the receipt of a statement any supplier may apply through the Minister! for Agriculture for an independent in- ! vestigation of the correctness of the re- ' turns. The Minister will then direct an officer of the Audit Department to make an audit, when all facilities must be furnished by the dairy factory proprietors. The auditor may examine any factory owner or employee on oath regarding the audit, and any person refusing to answer any request or comply with the officer's lawful demands is liable to a fine not exceeding £50. The cost of the audit shall be borne by the person making the application, excepting that in a case where the investigation discloses an error of more than one-half per cent in a statement regarding the weight of butt&r and cheese made from each pound of but-ter-fat f£e audit fee shall be recoverable from €he factory owners. Power is given to make regulations: (a) Regulating the sampling, testing,, and weighing of milk or cream purchased by the owners of dairy factories; (b) prescribing the records to be kept or returns to be furnished by the owners of dairy factories; (c) prescribing the powers and duties of inspectors; (d) prescribing such other matters as are contemplated or desirable for giving full effect to thfs Act. An additional clause is added to the penal clauses of the principal Act providing for a penalty to be imposed on any person who sends to a grading store for the purpose of being graded any cheese of which the water free substance consists of less than 50 per cent of fats wholly derived from" milk, or who exports, or attempts to export, such cheese. The provisions of the principal Act relating to co-opga&tive dairy companies are extended to cover all factories for the manufacture of butter, cheese, dried milk, casein, or other article from milk or cream supplied to a company by its shareholders^ or the collection, treatment, and distribution for human consumption of milk or cream so supplied to the company" " |