DISTRICT NEWS

Northern Advocate, 3 May 1916, Page 1

DISTRICT NEWS

We want correspondents throughout the district we serve. As soon as our shifting operations into our new building are completed we purpose again issuing an eight-page paper on Country Edition days. Until then we crave the indulgence of our readers. A reminder is given that all our profits (.with a preliminary guarantee of £150) go to the Patriotic Funds. —Ed.

MAUNG AT APE BE.

An extraordinary meeting of the shareholders of the Maungatapere Dairy Company, Ltd., was held last Saturday in the public hall. , Mr J. H. Hayward presided over an attendance of about 70 shareholders. Several business matters were dealt with including the suggestion to run the proposed cheese factory in conjunction with the existing butter factory. The question was exhaustively dealt with. AlKphases of the question were placed fairly before the meeting, but as was shown by the result of the vote taken at the conclusion a vast majority were in favour of allowing matters to continue as they stand at present, and to allow the cheese factory t° be run under entirely different management. Mr Valentine, of the Dairy Department, was at this meeting. During the afternoon he addressed the gathering and his guidance was very helpful.

Upon the conclusion of the above meeting the chairman Informed those present that as a prospectus of the New Zealand Farmers' Fertilisers' Company had been circulated ainShg the local farmers with the purpose of creating an interest in the floating of the above company it was the purpose of the directors to obtain the opinion of the shareholders of the Dairy Company in the matter of taking up shares in the Fertilizer Company. But before asking the' meeting to discuss the matter or to express any opinion upon the subject he would have much pleasure in calling upon Mr T. W. Deakes (manager of the N.Z. 'Fertilizers' Co., Ltd.,) to address the meeting. This gentleman in a very able manner outlined the whole working of the company. Dealing primarily with the financial situation he said the whole thing was to be financed by farmers. As the directors reserve the right to refuse any application for shares this was a splendid opportunity for farmers to own their own factory and procure the article at rock-bottom price. The speaker showed that at present the farmer has to pay out of his own pocket five different profits as a result of the article which he purchases having gone through five different hands, three of which were absolutely unnecessary. With the aid of a map Mr Deakes showed that there is in the Pacific, almost at our back door, an unlimited supply of raw material. NewZealand was a place admirably suited to the manufacture of phosphates. Not only is the rock there in quantities more than necessary to meet the requirements of the company but satisfactory offers had been received for any quantity of raw materials for the manufacture of manures and acids, at a price which would enable the company to meet all competition, both overseas and otherwise. Having made this point clear Mr Deakes continued, by pointing out the fallacy of depending upon overseas' supplies for the bulk of our artificial manures showing that through manures not being available during the past year at the right time several districts in the Auckland province had suffered as a consequence. Mr Deakes also dealt with the question from a national aspect, showing that the welfare of the Dominion depended upon its production from the soil. In the past, ninetenths of New Zealand's wealth has been derived from that source. The opportunity of purchasing artificial manures at a reduced rate would mean in the near future a larger increase in produotion from the soil that would eventually become a national benefit. Quoting figures, Mr Deakes stated that basic phosphate, which is being imported to New Zealand from the Red Sea, could be placed upon the local market by a local manufacturing firm at almost £ 2 less than the present price in unlimited supplies at any time of the year. ■SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE. Mr .Deakes, in bringing his most interesting address to a close, stated that the company by installing an agricultural department and chemical laboratory in connection with the factory would place within the reach of every consuming shareholder-farmer a scientific method of increasing their production. As the prospectus stated, the agricultural department would be under expert control. An expert agriculturist would be placed at the disposal of shareholders to visit their districts for the "purpose of examining their soils, and subjecting them to scientific tests, giving expert advice in the production of any crop the farmer may desire to raise, and where necessary forwarding to the laboratory samples of the soil to be analysed. Making special mention 'of the North Mr Deakes said it was a recognised fact that the North is deficient in phosphates, the very article

which the farmers' company would be

able to manufacture and supply at an

exceptionally low rate. The speaker ihen invited questions but these did :;ot overwhelm the kcturer. Among he few was one relating to the labour -iUes ; tion in New Zealand as compared with Japan and other places mentioned by Mr Deakes from' which New Zealand imported manures extensively. To which Mr Deakes replied saying that although he knew a labourer could not be obtained here >at less than 10s a day this did not materially affect the local manufacture as machinery has taken the place of hand

j fpower and that the wages bill in the i proposed factory would be reduced to I a minimum, 26 men being sufficient to I run a plant with an annual output of

I 60,000 tons. •At hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Deakes. Mr 'B. H. Boscomb, the representative of the Fer--1 tilizer Company, was also in attend- \ ance at this meeting and was supply- | ing inquirers with much valuable inj formation. * The chairman said it was now their ■ duty to consider the advisability of ! amending the Articles of Association iin connection with the Dairy Com- ; pany. The .proposal, "That the com- ; pany take the necessary steps in this ' direction," made by Mr H. Cleary, se- ] conded by Mr Danks, was carried by 1 a large majority. The meeting fur- [ ther authorised the directors to take up shares to a limited extent in the Fertilizer Co., but it is impossible to j say yet to what extent they will venture. '

It is a significant fact that the Maungatapere Dairy Co., Ltd., is the first company of its kind to thus support a local industry.