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Opunake Times, 24 December 1946, Page 3

Comrrjencemsnt of Cc-op * Dafc.'yTng in Taranaki It was in this year that Mr. Calvin's persistence regarding' the rich quality of the dairying land at last bore fruit. The late Messrs. A.. 11. Moore and Sam Breach canvassed the settlers in the district with the object of floating a Co-operative Dairy Company. Shares were readily taken *up and within three months of the canvas being commenced, the Opunake Co-operat-ive Dairy Company Ltd., was formed and Registered with a nominal capital of 2500 shares of £2 each, this becoming the first Co-operative Dairy Company to be formed in Taranaki. The first Directors were Messrs. S. Breach (chairman), A. Anderson, W. Pettigrew, E. Bay ley, J. Ching, J. Stevenson, and W. McLeod, whilst Mr. A. 11. Moore was appointed secretary. It was decided to manufacture cheese and a property of six acres was purchased in the Opunake town fronting Layard street and a suitable factory was erected on a site where today Mrs. M. Fennell's residence stands. The supply of milk was drawn from as far south as Pihama and in the west from Bali o hi. There were 35 suppliers the first season and the cheese made met with a. ready sale. Plant inadequte

In the following year the supply grew to such an extent that the plant was imable to cope with it and two shifts were worked each clay. This} resulted in the quality of the cheese deteriorating and the Company was compelled to cease manufacture and turn to Butterniaking. Later the factory was sold to the Crown Dairy Company and the # Opunake Co-operative Company went into liquidation in 1888. It is here interesting to note that the Opunake Dairy Company ran a Cooperative Pig Farm in conjunction with the factory. The whey was not taken home by suppliers, but was run to a big concrete sump on the section at the back of the factory where the pigs were kept. Mr. E. Bayly was in charge of this part of the Company's business and he attended to the feeding of the pigs, which were killed and dressed and sold to a butchery in New Plymouth'.