K FACTORY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 19 June 1926, Page 7

K FACTORY

IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS EXTENSIVE CANNING PLANT TO BE INSTALLED TO SUPPLY NEW ZEALAND'S REQUIREMENTS DEMONSTRATION ORCHARD TO BE ESTABLISHED ALL PRESENT ACTIVITIES TO BE INCREASED INTERVIEW WITH SIR HENRY JONES Standing with his back to the five in the office of Mr.C. Milner, manager of the "K” factory, yesterday morning, Sir Henry Jones, managing director of Henry Jones Co-operative Ltd., oUMelbourne, which has acquired the "K” factory, informed an Evening-Mail representative of the big deyelopmints thut are to take place in connection with the. * *‘K” factory in Nelson. It was scon evident that it was Sir Henry Jorei s ■ ■ aim to utilise to the fullest-extril Nflson’s wonderful advantages in the growing of fruits and to do his best to assist ■ the growers for their interests were identical. A factory would 'be im- ; > possible without the fruit to manufacture. , Accordingly the business must be satisfactory to both parties.

FOR GREATER PRODUCTION

It .is a well-known fact, established ■beyond shadow of doubt, that Nelson s climatic conditions eminently favour horticultural pursuits. In the pas., the difficulty has been in securing sutabie markets ■ for. large quantities. Wi*h extension of the manifold operations of ih< “K” factory^-more land, will be put under cultivation and the productivity of the district increased. Nelson, therefore makes a two fold gain in such developments.. An.' .Miportant, branch oi . ' its primary industries is stimulated by the new outlet, and the town benefits also by the expansion of its secondary industries™/. ■;'

DEMONSTRATION ORCHARD BLOCK

y “It is our purpose,” said Sir Henry, ‘‘to supply New Zealand’s total requirements of canned fruits. There should, be no need to import canned fruit from other countries. The first thing to ho .done, however, is. to develop the growing of. fruit suitable for canning. We are establishing a demonstration orchard block to thoroughly test,.out; the district’s'capabilities in this respect. This will /prove whether, oi- ' not the. district ./ .can grow//, fruit in sufficient quantities suitable for our/ requirements. New canning and sauce making machinery has already been ordered, so it will not be long before a commencement is made. ' , ; > ’ " “WILL TAKE ALL CANNING ■ PEARS GROWN” V “For - a start,” said Sir Henry,; “we are prepared to take the whole ..of the canning-pears grown iri the district. -We hope to hold the market against all imported canned fruits and make New Zealand in this respect self-supporting. ‘Quite apart from canning we are developing and increasing all the present • products of. the..“K.”..factory.”. . V ‘ - RASPBERRIES . • i;' . As .is well known/a . very unusual. position has arisen in regard to th.e ./, raspberry industry in the .district, due to over , production. This season some 500 tons were produced, compared with 150 tons last year—an increase never ' , before known in . tlie history , of the trade. “This year,” said' Sir, Henry, “one grower whose average crop for the past five years was'B to 9 tons informed me that the production off the same •. V acreage. this year was 30 tons, and on inquiry growers say the assistance and advice given by the Cawthron Institute in regard to manuring and treatment, was largely responsible for -the increase. Similar increases had been recorded right through the district. “Last month,” said Sir'Henry, “we exported portion of the surplus to Lon- ./ don, some 65 tons, tb free the market. , s We'anticipate considerable, loss on the shipment. Next year we will 'make New Zealand’s requirements of raspberry juice from. Nelson raspberries instead of sending oyer Tasmanian, juice, and this will help to absorb a .-.further ■y quantity.,/ - • -

A -GUARANTEE FOR EXPORT

, raspberries

Sir. Henry-then went ,on to detail a scheme he had evolved to assist the. grower nexi year in dealing with his surplus crop. It seemed to the reporter to be in the nature of a complete reversal of “heads I win, tails you lose,” and' to be' actually “heads you win, tails I lose” proposal. Anyway this is what Sir Henry said:—“We ‘ are prepared to finance the export of surplus raspberries to the London 'market in the coming 1927 season, up to £2O per ton. -' If the' nett return shows a 1 loss on this price, the firm will stand it, but any gain the grower will receive.” 'This should be of very material assistance to the industry. “For our own requirements,” he said, “we have under consideration to take the average of the past five years’ delivery at a fair factory price based on Hew Zealand values, and growers will realise that the world’s market price must govern the price for the surplus. We are out to assist the grower in every possible way, but if the growers and the Cawlhron Institute go on increasing the crop far beyond New Zealand’s requirements,” concluded Sir Henry with a smiie, “we can hardly he expected to cope with that.”

NO. CHANGE IN NAME OR MANAGEMENT OF THE FIRM

•Sir Henry stated (lie “K” factory would continue under the same management and staff as heretofore. A canning expert would, however, he sent over from Australia, familiar with the latest methods in fruit canning to assist in the development of the "K” canning business. Sir Henry spoke of his friendship with the late Mr S. Kirkpatrick. As a matter of fact his firm had on several occasions been able to assist Mr Kirkpatrick in the past by sending over their experts for the installation of machinery, so their association with “K” factory was not entirely Hew, As is well known, most of the “K” employees are share-holders in the Company, the late .Mr S. Kirkpatrick having generously bequeathed a large number of shares to bis staff according to their years of service.

SIR HENRY AND “K” EMPLOYEES

A pleasant surprise was given to-these employees when Sir Henry Jones arid his Co-Directors made the following announcement: “We offer to purchase these shares and to give a cash bonus of seven shillings on each share held by employees over and above the

purchase price paid by Henry Jones Co-op. Limited, wlien they acquired the controlling interests in S. Kirkpatri :tc and Co., Ltd.”

’ Am allernalive offer was also made r.y giving tin* employees an opportunity of taking (lie value of their* Molding in shares of Ilcmy .Tones Co-op. T.UI.” frir Tlenry and his Co-Directors are all keen believers in co-operation. Sir Henry Jones has no desire In influence tlie “K" employees in any way, the decision in this matter resting entirely with themselves.

This offer on the part of Sir Henry and his Company Directors is evidence of their desire to assist the ‘'K" employees in every oossible and it augurs well for the future relationship between employer and employees, and it should ensure that spirit of enthusiastic co-operation so much to he desired :n industries these days.

'Hie important projects set out above will undoubtedly be powerful factors in promoting the interests and wellbeing of Nelson and district.