DAIRY COMPANIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23111, 9 August 1938, Page 5

DAIRY COMPANIES

OPPOSITION TO MERGER RAGLAN ANNUAL MEETING LOWER OUTPUT FOR SEASON [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] RAGLAN, Monday A suggestion that the Raglan Cooperative Dairy Company, Limited, should merge-its interests with the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, was put forward by Mr. J). B. Guildford, a Raglan farmer, at the annual meeting of the Raglan company to-day. There was a lengthy and heated discussion. Mr. Guildford contended that if suppliers of the Raglan company had sent their cream to Hamilton last season they would have received an extra £15)03. He seated that for the last two years suppliers would have received nearly £IOOO more had they sent their cream to the New Zealand Dairy Company and that in the past six years they had lost £16,225 by not dealing with the larger company. " It, appears to me that the Raglan Dairy Company is slipping," Mr. Guildford said. "If you leave /matters much longer you will be forced out of existence and will not be in a position to bargain." Confidence in Directors The majority of farmers present did not favour going over to tho larger company, expressing satisfaction with the present position and confidence in the board of directors. Several were of the opinion that if amalgamation took place the shipping service would be seriously affected and Raglan would suffer greatly. " The staff of our factory has turned out an article which will hold its own with that produced by any dairy company,'.' said tho chaiman of directors, j Mr. J. Donn, who presided. "With all tho advantages which it enjoys I cannot understand why the New Zealand j Dairy Company lias not beaten lis by even more than a kl." After much discussion it was decided that the board of directors raise the matter at the next meeting of the Executive Commission of Agriculture and bring down a report to the.company's next annual meeting. Decrease in Production The season's tonnage was 523, compared with 578 tons the previous year, stated Mr. Donn in his annual report. This decrease, in addition to legislation affecting hours of work and rates of wages, had increased costs from 2.028 d to 2.140 d. " The directors have, during recent years, made many alterations to the plant with the object of reducing costs, and it is disappointing that the savings made have not gone to suppliers," continued Mr. Donn. "The quality of the butter has been considerably improved and reflects credit on tho manager and staff." Messrs. A. V. Cornes, E. P. Checkley, C. Mellsop and F. W. Peart were re-elected directors. Messrs. Luxford and Mai ins wore reappointed auditors. The chairman was granted an honorarium of £2O in appreciation of his services during the past year. Following the general meeting, the directors elected Mr. F. W. Peart chairman of directors for the ensuing year.

' TE AROHA-THAMES VALLEY COSTS SLIGHTLY REDUCED [|lY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] TE AROHA, Monday The company's costs had been slightly reduced during the season, in spite of a heavy increase in wages and cartage costs,- stated Mr. D. Courtney, chairman of directors of the Te ArohaThames Valley Co-operative Dairy Company, at the annual meeting of the company. A considerable increase in the cost of butter boxes had been arbitrarily imposed by the Dairy Board. Previously Swedish boxes at Is 2Jd had been used, but the company was now compelled to use New Zealand white pine at an approximate landed cost of Is lid, an increase of over 50 per cent. Th? directors retiring by rotation, Messrs. J. J. Poland and N. C. Cliristensen, were both returned unopposed. KATIKATI INCREASE TOTAL YIELD OF S4l TONS [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] TAURANGA, Monday There was a large attendance at the annual meeting of shareholders of the Katikati Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, Mr. E. Marshall presiding. The report stated output showed an increase over tho previous season of 115 tons, the quantity of butter being 841 tons. Messrs. A. W. T. Hyde, E. Marshall and G. L. Sharp were re-elected directors unopposed.

PUKEKOHE PRODUCE CABBAGES NOW CHEAPER DEMAND FOR CAULIFLOWERS [FROM OUII OWN' cohrkspondknt] PUKEKOHE, Monday Ail increase in the supply of cabbages lias been 'responsible for a drop in the price of the Drumhead variety in the Pukekohe produce trade this week. Drumheads are now quoted at 16s 6d a sack and 12s 6d a bag, f.o.r. Pukckohc. This is Is less in each case than last week. Savoy cabbages are still scarce, but the price remains unchanged at last week's rates, ISs a sack and 14s a bag. In view of a heavy demand, caulillowers were in short supply to-day, but the prices remained unaltered at 12,s (3d a sack and !)s -Jd a bag. Supplies of local onions are now exhausted. However, the trade is being supplied by Victorian importations, which are this week quoted at 18s (3d a cental bag, and '2os per cwt. Carrots and parsnips, which are becoming scarcer, have firmed in price. Carrots are now quoted at from 4s to 4s Id a sugar bag, and parsnips at 7s 2d. Pukekohe pumpkins aro unchanged at from 6s to 6s 6d per cwt., and ktimaras at 6s a sugar bag. Swedes, which last week were at 4s 6d a sugar bag, have eased to about 4s. Pukekohe sued potatoes are still selling at 10s 9d per cwt. Plants are quoted as follows:—Cabbage, 9s to 10s a thousand; cauliflower, 10s 6d to lis; lettuce, 10s to lis; onion, 4s 6d.