MAUNGATAPERE.

Northern Advocate, 20 January 1920, Page 3

MAUNGATAPERE.

DAIRY COMPANY'S EXTRAORDIN-

ARY MEETING,

As a result of the recent fire which totally destroyed the building and stock of the general store connected with the local dairy company, an extraordinary meeting was held in tho hall last Saturday morning, the object of the meeting being, as the chairman (Mr J. H. Hay ward) explained, to consult the shareholders on the matter of re-build-ing and to ascertain the wishes of the majority as to how the business shall be run in the future. He > bowed that from the fire the company stood to lose, after all insurances had been collected, about £800. The sto.-e had been insured for £400 and the stock was covered to the extent of £750. Unfortunately at, the time of the conflagration the store was heavily stocked to cater for the extra Christmas trade anJ was carrying about £1300 worth of stock. Mr Hay ward said he was sure that a store must go up in Maungatapere, it was only a question of whether it is preferable to continue as in the past or allow the business to pass into other hands. He informed his hearers that the directors had considered the advisability of allowing the store business to pass entirely into ihe hands of the Farmers' Union Trading Company. He pointed out that such a firm was able to buy to much greater advantage than a concern such as our own, and was therefore able to sell cheaper. It operated on such a vast c cale that a store with a small turnover like ours was unable to compete with it. The speaker said he had attended the company directors' meeting in Auckland last week and had laid the matter before them, and they had definitely stated that thoy we're willing to take over the business in Maungatapere if the people so wished. They clearly stated that they would not consider a leasehold, but would b-> willing to either buy the existing site or purchase another in the vicinity, Naturally the question was discussed at length, and the matter of comparative prices gone into thoroughly.

Mr W. Sirl, who was tho chief speaker in favour of retaining the business, said that he failed to see that any benefit, could be gained by making the change. He said that last year a price list had been studied arad the prices compared with ours, the result was that we had decided that there was not much difference. O?ic man said he had bought £4 worth of goods in Whangarei shortly after the fire, with the result that he benefited to the extent of 2(1. Another claimed to >;.avc gained a few shillings through purchasing manure elsewhere; but, generally speaking, no evidence was forthcom.Kg .showing that any material gain had been realised through dealing in Wha-

ngarci

It appears tliat our directors consider the change to lie a move in the right direction, for they claim that although the prices at our store have been satisfactory enough, yet there <iro advantages to be gained by joining the union (for that is practically what it repro sents), in which we have not been able to participate in the past.

The proposal of Mir RoJand Hill, seconded by Mr McKinley, "that we do no) re-build the store," »vas carried. But the proposal by the same men chat we dispose of the store site wa« defeated by 40 voles to 10.

Mr 'F. Watson proposed and Mr Carter seconded: ''That in the event of pur being i:ii!e to secure another suitable site for the incoming company, tho directors call another meeting."—Carried.

The meetiag closed by giving the directors power to dispose of tho busitessi to the best possible advantage.