DAIRYING INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21875, 10 August 1934, Page 7

DAIRYING INDUSTRY

RANGATAIKI PLAINS SEASON COMPANY'S GOOD RESULTS [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] WHAKATANE, Thursday Over 300 suppliers attended the annual meeting of the Rangataiki Plains Dairy Company at Edgecumbe. . Commenting on the report and bal-ance-sheet, which hare already been published, the chairman, Mr. McCracken, complimented suppliers and staff on the excellent results obtained under adverse market conditions. The increase in production, he stated, was well in keeping with the progress of the district and the quality of the manufactured product was a credit to the company. The pig farm had shown a very satisfactory profit. Referring to the marketing of the company's butter, the chairman stated that slightly over 50 per cent of the output was sold f.0.b., which accounted for the comparatively good returns for the season. He did not know of any factory that had a better pay-out for the season. It was resolved to declare a dividend of 0 per cent on ehare capital. The two retiring directors, Messrs. W, R. Boon and A. Jamieson, wero reelected.

THE HIKURANGI COMPANY RE-ELECTION OF DIRECTORS Cby telegraph—OWN correspondent] Thursday The election to fill two vacancies on the directorate of the Hikurangi Dairy Company, resulted in the r©-* tiring members, Messrs. F. Elliott (chairman) and L. Webb returned by a large majority. There were only three candidates. MARGARINE SALES INCREASE IN VICTORIA ft PINK COLOURING SUGGEST® Increased sales of margarine in Victoria have followed the operation of the Commonwealth butter marketing stabilisation scheme, under which a relatively high domestic price for butter is set in order to raise the returns from export produce. A request that action should be taken to have butter substitutes coloured pink was made by a deputation including members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, which waited recently on the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. J. Allan. Mr. H. J. T. Hyland said it was very difficult to detect butter substitutes from the genuine article. In Vio toria sales were increasing very rapidly, and large stores were inviting customers to taste margarine in order to increase sales. The base of butter substitutes was produced from coconuts grown on the islands, and entered Australia free of duty. Legislation wa3 required to make manufacturers colour margarine pink. This would enable the public to know that they were purchasing margarine instead of butter. The dairying industry would "go flop" if local sales were lost.

It was stated by another speaker that at Ballarat 25001b. of margarine was being sold a week. There was no supervision of factories which made it, and no licence fees were paid. In replying, Mr Allan said that at a Ministerial conference held last year thore was a general feeling that margarine should be coloured pink. He would inquire whether' a regulation could be added to the present Act and he hoped to be able to do something before the session ended.