DAIRYING SEASON

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 220, 15 August 1927, Page 8

DAIRYING SEASON

BAINESSE COMPANY’S MEETING.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) BAINESSE, Aug. 15.

Tho annual general meeting of the suppliers of the Bainesse Dairy Company was hold on Friday last. As will be seen tho factory is in a sound financial position and should dispel all doubts as to tho footing of tho company, thus the prospect for farmers in this locality havo a brightor outlook than for some years past. The output up to the end of December next has boon sold and will return Is 7d per lb for butter-fat. Mr H. Bond was again reelected chairman. Mr Andrews, eocretary, and Mr Hunter, auditor. Tho directors a.ro in favour of tho aboltion of tho control board. Tho annual report wa3 as follows: “Your directors, in submitting tho eighth annual report and balance-sheet for the year ending 30th Juno, 1927, regret tho poor prico for cheese exported. Control, as forecasted by your directors has completely failed. Tho advances—only 53d for tho bulk of the cheoso made —are tho lowest on record, and goes to show you the Control Board wero mainly concerned in butter, rather than in cheese. Comparing payouts 1925-26 soason with 1926-27, tho former la 7id to this year, Is 23d show a difference of 43d per lb butter-fats; or in other words, a less pay out to suppliers of over £3500. The year was a favourablb one, and we experienced an increased supply.’ Our prospeots for tho coming soason look fairly bright. Tho price paid for but-ter-fat for July, 1926, was Is 4d, and for August and September, Is 3d was paid, the overage price for tho remainder of tho season being Is 2|d. Thoro romaina a further credit balance, from which it is intended to pay a id per pound butter-fat for the months of October to Juno, inclusive, bringing tho averago to a littlo better than Is 23d. The season’s cheeso is distributed on eightoen boats, the shrinkage returns are only available for two of these boats, but should tho shrinkage on those shipments not exceed 2i per cent, thon a further payment can be made which will bring tho average to Is 3d per pound but-ter-fat. The financial position of tho company continues to improve; a further reduction in tho ovor-draft has been mado; a new floor has been laid in the factory, and all the plant overhauled, and will be in first-class condition for tho coming season. Our thanks are duo to the manager and staff for the succoss achieved in again being able to show a reduction in manufacturing costs. This year, with an increase of 8 tons of cheese, the cost of production has been roducod by £88.” The total milk for tho year was 4,503,019 lbs., which produced 182,243 lbs butter-fat, which was used for choesomaking. Tho cheese manufactured was 478,261 lbs. 213 tons lOcwts 211bs. The average test was 4.047, averago yield 2.624 cost of manufacture .89d per pound, cost of management ,49d per pound. Tho auditor certified that 2.6241ds of cheeso were made from each pound of buttor-fat supplied to tho company for the period ended 30th Juno, 1927. RONQOTEA DAIRY COMPANY. ANNUAL MEETING. (From our own Correspondent.) RONGOTEA, August 15. The Rongotoa Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, held the thirty-third annual meeting in tho Coronation Hall on Friday. Mr A. J. Will was in tho tdmir. During tho past year a change has been made in tho management of tho factory. Mr R. M. Matheson, who had been manager for tho past nineteen years, retired from the service, Mr D. T. Sounoss succeeding him. Tho output for the eleven months reached 723 ton 3 14 cwt. 1 qr. 5 lbs., being 20 tons 2 cwts. 6 lbs., or 1.41 por oent., more than tho previous twelve months. This is an improvement, duo largely to top-dressing and herd-test-ing, the increase right through tho season being gradual. The average net prices received for butter were not on a par with tho previous Beason, and were 03 follows: Consignments, 1,283,3441b5., averago Pet prico Is. 3.077 d.; local and f.0.b., 329,274 lbs., average not price Is. 3.55 d.; suppliers, 39,4361b5., average, net price Is. 3.46. During tho past year, cream grading becamo compulsory. This and tho services of the farm dairy instructor have already made a marked difference in tho quality of our product, the average grade being higher. We hopo for a still further improvement this coming' season. The final acoount sole 3 for tho season have not yet been received, but tho unsold butter has been taken into account at a price that, while being on a conservative basis, will not materially alter the final payout. Tho directors now propose the payment of a 6 por cent, dividend on the paid up capital of tho company for tho cloven months ending 30th Juno, 1927, and a further amount of lid. on all butterfat supplied during the samo period, with an honorarium of £SO to tho chairman. In accordance with the articles of association, two directors retiro by .rotation this year— Messrs. Will and Ransom. Owing to illhealth, Mr Yallender resigned his seat as a director. Nominations for tho vacant seats lave been received from Messrs Jas. Duke, M. Lyons and H. J. Ransom, and as three members only are required and these three being eligible they aro declared elected.

STATISTICS. Butterfat received, 1,344,5941ba (11 months); butter manufactured, 1,621,1211b5; over-run, 20.66 per cent. Cast per lb of butter produced: —Cream collection .240 d; manufacturing and packing, ,955 d; transport and storago in New Zealand, .385 d; overhead charges, ,175 d; total, 1.755 d. Mr N. H. Hunt moved a voto of appreciation to Mr Will, tho retiring chairman, for his services to tho company during his period in tho capacity of chairman and also as a diroctor. Mr Gloyn, senr., in seconding the motion, said that he had much pleasure in endorsing Mr Hunt’s remarks. The motion was unanimously carried with acclamation. Tho chairman suitably responded and thanked the speakers for their kind remarks. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT.

The chairman’3 report was as follows A most successful season lias been experienced by the company, showing an incrouse of 20 tons of butter over last year’s figures. In view of tho fact that thi3 inereaso in output was for a period of only 11 months the position was very commendable. Tho increase was chiefly due to two important factors—top-drossing and herd testing. Farmers aro urged, if they are desirous of obtaining better results from tho farms, to top-dress and keep good healthy herds. The speaker wont on to say that if each cow could bo mado to yield an additional ten pounds of buttorfat per annum it would increase the rovenue for tho whole of the dairy -industry to the extent of one million poundß. Tho figures for tho year were: Nett advances for butterfat, Is 2d; bonus, lid; total Is 3id, with perhaps another id or id for shipment sold recently whioh had realised moro than was anticipated. The corning into forco of compulsory grading had proved very beneficial and better results were obtained in the quality of cream received tho figures for tho year being: Finest 77 per cent, first grade 22 per cent, sooond grade ono per cent. Tho amount of butter sold aggregated 27,242 boxos, being graded 88 per cent finest. Tho speakor, in referring to the los3 of tho services of' Mr R. M. Mathieson as manager, wished him the best of happiness and prosperity in the future and extended similar good wishes to Mr Souness, the successor to Mr Mathieson (applause). Tho speaker, continuing, thanked tho directors, shareholders and suppliers for their wholo-hearted tion and support in tho past and stressed tho advisability of sticking to thoir company instead of chopping and changing. Mr H. H. Hunt endorsed the speaker s remarks in this connection. GENERAL. The balanoe-sheet was subjected to consideration and many questions were put forward by the shareholders. A question was asked of tho chairman regarding the company's dealings with its agents. The chairman replied that they had always received a fair deal from the agents and a clause in tho agreement was read where it stated that tho agents were prepared to pay as much as any other firm for the “m” Hunt was of the opinion that the

commission was rather excessive, but it butter had been shipped, incurring tho extra commisson.

Quoston3 regarding wages and overtime wore raised and the chairman intimated that there was a movement afoot to abolish arbitration in connection with the dairy industry, as tho hours sot down by the court of Arbitration wore not suitable for a butter factory. Ho went on to say that tho employees would be willing to work on a “give and take” principle without excessive overtime being paid. Ho attributed a good proportion of tho expenditure in this respect to tho fact that some of tho suppliers kept tho lorries waiting when they arrived for thoir cream. The overtime paid out for tho yoar amounted to £6O and he expressed a hope that moro assistance would be given in the _ matter. In roply to a question concerning the services of tho dairy instructor, tho chairman said that he would not like to seo tho dairy instructor’s services dispensed with as ho was confident that ho had done valuable work and would continue to do so in tho future. Tho report and balance-sheet were then adopted and tho meeting adjourned for lunchoon. On resumption of the meeting Mr P. L. Sim was re-elected auditor. It was moved that tho company subsidise tho Manawatu Herd Testing Association to tho extent of Is per cow for the company’s suppliers. An amendment was put and carried: “That every supplier pay for his own testing.” Tho meoting ooncludcd with a hearty vote of thanks to the chair.