DAIRY INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22724, 10 May 1937, Page 11

DAIRY INDUSTRY

£M,OOO DEAL CLOSED WAIKATO -VALLEY COMPANY DISPOSAL TO CO-OPERATIVES SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS [from our OWN* COltltksi'oxdknt] HAMILTON, Sunday An announcement was made by the Executive Commission of Agriculture yesterday that a sale of the assets (including land, buildings, plant, machinery and stocks) and business of the Waikato Valley Dairy Company, Limited, to the co-operative interests in the Waikato and surrounding districts had been effected. The price agreed, upon is subject to certain adjustments, and is approximately £44.000. The commission for some months past has been assisting in negotiations between the Waikato Valley Company and a group of co-operative dairy companies, the understanding being that, in the event of a purchase being effected, all the other co-operative companies in the area would be entitled to participate 011 equal terms with the original purchasing companies. It was regarded as essential to the satisfactory conduct of the negotiations that the committee handling the matter in the preliminary stages should not be large, and to this end the commission arranged that the committee would comprise representatives of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, the Te Awamutu Cooperative Dairy Company, Limited, the Morrinsville Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, and the To ArohaThames Valley Co-operativo Dairy Company, Limited, and that the committee should act in a trustee capacity for all companies that might be interested. Settlement Reached After a number of meetings had been held', the purchase price and,'with one exception, the conditions of sale, were agreed upon. The negotiations broke down at this point, but at the instance of the commission were resumed on Friday, when a complete settlement was reached. Owing to the fact that the earlier breakdown of negotiations had brought about the disbandment of the committee, the members were unable without reference to their respective directorates to complete an agreement for purchase in the names of all four companies. It was decided, however, that until formal confirmation had been given by the boards of the To Awamutu, Morrinsville and Te Aroha-Thames Valley companies, tho New Zealand Co-opera-tive Dairy Company, Limited, should act as sole trustee and execute an agreement with the Waikato Valley Dairy Company, Limited, binding the purchase. The concurrence of the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, was obtained, and the agreement was executed. It is understood that the boards of the other three companies will meet within the next few days for the purpose of formally reconstituting the committee, which will be then responsible for the carrying out of the disposal of tho assets of the Waikato Valley Dairy Company, Limited, and the necessary adjustments among the purchasing companies and the companies that may subsequently elect to join in the purchase. Rationalisation of Services This purchase opens the way to a rationalisation of cream-collection services and butter-manufacturing activities in the Waikato and surrounding districts. A meeting of all companies interested will be called by the commission within the next few weeks, when the details of a plan will be discussed, and suggestions invited from the different companies. The underlying desire is to effect a rationalisation of services with the least possible disturbance to suppliers, and on a basis that will permit the suppliers to exercise a reasonable choice of factories, while reducing the uneconomic overlapping that now exists. This is said to be in accordance with the expressed wishes of the dairying _ industry" throughout the Dominion. It is desired, if possible, that agreement should_ be reached regarding a definite principle of rationalisation, which may, however, be modified in particular cases to meet special circumstances. Some months ago the interests and depots of the Waikato Valley Dairy Company in tho Tauranga and Taumarunui districts were disposed of to the co-operative dairv companies operating in those areas. It is understood that, in respect of the company's depot and business interests in the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty districts, a special basis of transfer has been agreed upon with the Bay of Plenty Co-operative Dairy Association, Limited, and the New Zealand Co-opera-tive Dairy Company, Limited. The agreement for sale and purchase will become operative on Juno 2.