PLAINS DAIRY CO.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXII, Issue 2762, 14 August 1931, Page 6

PLAINS DAIRY CO.

ANNUAL MEETING. The sixteenth annual general meeting of the Hauraki Plains Co-opeia-tive Dairy Company was held in the Turua Buildings, Turua, on Wednesday, Mr A. H. Rogers, Chairman of Directors, presiding over an attendance of 31 shareholders. The secretary (Mr J. E. Green) ‘and the factory manager (Mr K. McKenzie) were in attendance. , Apologies for absence were received from Messrs J. Kernick and W. E. G. Willy. Annual Rspdrt. The annual report and balance sheet as circulated and published was taken as read and the Chairman then read the auditors’ report. It commented on the fine position of the company, and enumerated the valuations placed on the stocks in hand. Commenting on the report and balance sheet, the Chairman said that the two outstanding features were the record increase in output and the lowness of the nrice. Unfortunately, the one was not offset by the other. All the cheese had been sold on consignment. The costs of production had been substantially reduced. For cheese it was now 3.02 d per lb butterfat, as compared to 3.21 d for the previous season, and 3,61 d for the year before. Over 1 the past three years there had been a reduction of £2 a ton in the cost of manufacture to f.0.b., including all possible charges. Grades were satisfactory, although not as higli as in the previous year. Possibly this was due to the manufacture of standardised cheese against which there was a prejudice. Standardised cheese was now illegal, and incidentally the reports on Now Zealand cheese from London had shown a distinct improvement since standardising was stopped. The company had turned over to butter on May 11th, thinking that it was going to be the better proposition, and while this had not proved to be the case, nothing had been lost 1 by the change. During the year a water-softener had been installed at the factory to prevent the boiler becoming effected by scale and to reduce the fuel consumption. The plant had been recommended by the manager and 6y the boiler'inspector, and while it had not yet been proved, the directors were confident that the machine would quickly pay for itself.

The directors had decided that in future all milk will be graded and those who do not supply superfine quality wjll be penalised by i-d per lb butterfat. As before, second grade milk would be rejected. It was more essential than ever before that cheese of the highest quality be made. ! As a further means of reducing costs it had been decided that the time for receiving milk be reduced to 6 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. This would obviate the necessity for keeping steam up for the long period that had been necessary when some suppliers came very early and others very late. The season had been a very difficult one, for not for very many years had such , low prices ruled. There J’d not appear to be any great prospect, of higher prices for the coming season, but it'was probable that prices would stabilise around about present values. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr H. H. Hicks, the report and balance sheet were adopted. In reply to a question, the secretary explained that the item for general expenditure included audit fees, registration fees, the cost of the annual social, licence fees, etc.

Control Board. Arising out of a question on the costs of freezing and shipping, the secretary read extracts from a communication from the Control Board, showing that the savings effected over the past seven years of its,operations were £1,500,000 on freight, £426,000 on insurance, and £125,000 on storage. The Control Board had collected in levies in that period £296,000 and had spent £71,000 on advertising . land £lO,OOO on research.

Thus £296,000 ’ had been collected and £2,087,000 had been saved the industry. The Chairman said that he had called for the reading of these figures as throughout the country there was an agitation to abolish the Control Board on the score of economy. Directors. The retiring directors, Messrs G. Gray and S. G. Williams, were reelected unopposed. Mr F. S. Battley was re-appointed auditor. Remunerations. The Chairman pointed out that the directors had voluntarily reduced their fees by 50 per cent, from January Ist, the manager had voluntarily accepted a J.2i per cent, reduction, the secretary a 10 per cent, reduction, and theauditor a 10 per* cent, reduction. The factory staff was covered by an award

and beyond the 10 per cent, reduction, no alteration in wages could be made.

Perquisites. . In reply to a supplier, the manager said that the factory staff were given free milk, butter, cheese and coal, but were charged rent. The matter had been discussed by the directors on numerous occasions, and every time it had been agreed to continue the system. It meant a satisfied and contented staff, who were prepared to do their best for the company on every occasion.. The extra service thus rendered was of considerable more value to suppliers than the cost of the perquisites given. Timber Supplies. “Seeing that Canada is turning against us, do you think it is the right thing to buy • Canadian timber foh: cheese crates?” asked Mr F. Geizler. The Chairman said that it was a matter of pounds, shillings and pence. There was a heavy duty on imported timber, but it was refunded when the cheese crates were exported. T*he manager quoted figures showing that the imported crates cost about one shilling less than those made from ’ New Zealand timber. Freight on the imported timber by water to Turua was also much less than that on New Zealand timber by rail to Kopu. New Zealand timber was used for butter-boxes as only a small quantity was exported, so there was not the drawback of custom duty. Coal. In reply to a question, the factory manager said that the freight on the coal consumed was greater than the cost of the coal itself. Appreciation. The meeting closed with votes of thanks to the' chairman, directors, secretary, manager, and staff.