SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3244, 17 May 1916, Page 14

SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report of the South Island Dairy Association, which has been drawn up by Mr W. J. Bolt, acting secretary, is this year very brief. The following are the salient features: — At the commenecent of tho dairy season buyers in Great Britain operated freely in the purchase of cheese of tho factories of New Zealand. The Imperial Government, however, having had to pay very high prices to buy from importers in Britain last year, decided to deal directly with the producers in the colonies. Notice being given that they required some 15,000 tons of cheese from New Zealand for the army, that quantity was commandeered proportionally from each factory at a fixed prico of 7id per lb f.o.b. This act on the part of tho imperial Government stimulated prices of New Zealand cheese, and the result has proved very satisfactory to the cheese factories of this dominion. skjpmexts. The war has caused throughout New Zealand considerable difficulty in getting produce of all descriptions shipped to Great Britain. Dairy produce has suffered from want of space month by month. It was fortunate for Southland shippers that tho Bluff Harbour Board had erected such extensive stores for the receipt of their chceso shipments. The whole space of the regular refrigerated steamers of the New Zealand Shipping Company and tho Shaw, Slavili Ccmpany was commandeered by tho Imperial Government at tho rate of £3_ 12s 6d per ton measurement, and the carriage of tho cheese was raised from one hall'pennyto three farthings per lb. After an exhaustive discussion of the question in all its bearings, it; was agreed that eleven-sixteenths of a penny would bo fair between tho Imperial Government and the factories. The saving of one-sixteenth—lis 8d per ton would save tho members of tho association about £4OOO per annum, calculated on bust year's export. GOVERNMENT RECmiREiIENTS THE ARMY. Wo believe that all will agree to tho demand that priority bo given to the needs of our soldiers, as their food supplies aro limited to certain articles. The priority given to Imperial requirements allowed each

factory to have a portion of its output at least carried regularly It was fortunate that during March we were able to clear out the Bluff stores once, and in April the Opa'iva and lonic again nearly cleared these stores. FURTHER SHIPPING, APRIL 25. The Turakina—3499 crates from Bluff, 032 Dmicdin, 700 from l.yttelron. On account of the accidents to the Matatua and Rangatira, there will be no further shipment., so far as at present known, until June 14. This is unfortunate, as prices are now at a very high level, but no apparent possibility of snipping more than a, part of the remainder of the output until very hue this season. PRICES OJ? BCTTER AND CHEESE. AS PEB LONDON REPORTS, 1915-16.

Cheese Butter per owt. poi f cvvt. 1915. s. May ... . • • 92 to 98 138 to 142 Juno • ■ 93 to 100 142 to 146 July ... . .. S3 to 96 114 to 124 August ... . • ■ 71 to 78 128 10 145 September .. 75 to 78 - October .. 76 to 78 November 162 to 164 December .. 89 to 92 143 to 168 1916. January .. 93 to 93 146 to 154 February .. 95 to 100 154 to 164 March ... 98 to 100 162 to 164 April 105 to 106 162 to 164 LIST OF FACTORIES' SHIPMENTS. Season 19: 15-16, ending April 30. BLUFF. Cheese. 1916. Factory. Crates. Factory. Crates. Aparima .. .. 2,004 Seaward D. . .. 2.028 Awarua .. 1,141 Switzers .. . 495 Boggy Burn 912 Tanna Hill . 622 Birchwood .. 1.161 Te Tua .. . 513 Browns G31 Thornbury . 1,863 D nun m ond 710 Tuatapere 605 Edsndale.. .. 10,3441 Tisbury .. . . 1.075 Fairfax 642 Tokonui .. , 432 Fresh ford 868 Tuturau .. 976 Gore .. 1.023 Hedgehop© 557 Gorge Road 564 Waianiwa . 1,051 Grove Bush .. 1.004 Waikaka .. . 618 Haldane .. 380 Waikawa Val. 235 Hoke i a 427 Whiterig .. . . 1.518 lvennington . 1,376 Waimumu 103 Lake County 35G Winton .. . . 1,518 Lochiel .. 1,057 Wcodend 575 Mabel .. . G03 Woodlands . 2,311 Mat aura .. .. 4.107 Woodlaw .. , 263 Merrivale .. 1.1S3 Wyndham . 3.090 Mokoiua .. 65G Island .. . . 2,765 Otamita .. .. 1,102 Toitois .. , . 1,303 Qtara ,. 1,130 Pine Bush . . 1,175 Balfour 7G3 Glenham .. . 1,170 Oreti 55 Morton Mains 666 Oterainika 596 Orcpuki .. . 1.321 Oware 842 Otautau .. , .. 1,621 Pukerau .. .. 1,213 Pahia .. . 992 Pyramid .. 450 Ryal Bush . . 1.056 Rimu 897 Wright's Bush. 1,040 Total muni )er shipped from Bhifi '—71,908 crates of cheese. DUNEDIN. Factory. Cheese. Crates. Factory. Crates. Allanton .. .. 2,477 Paretai 930 Clydevale 341 Railhead 610 Druminond 1 Ratanui .. 607 Eden dale 35 Silverstream , 504 Fairfield .. 651 Stirling . 4,738 Goodwood G36 Taieri and Henley .. 1.508 Peninsul a 10.165 Katea 59 Tarara .. . 438 Kahikafca 323 Tapanui .. 905 Kelso 475 Waikouaiti . 1.136 Merlon 147 Whitclca .. . 241 Milton .. , ,. 1,208 Wairuna .. . 325 Omimi . 1,612 Total number shipped from Dunedin —30,102 crates cf chec DUNEDIN. Butter. Creamery Butter. Milled. Boxes. Boxes. Great Britain, . 6.189 Great Britain .. 766 Egypt '26S Whey. Total .. . 6,457 Great Britain LYTTELTON BUTTEB. .. 321 Boxes. Boxes. Ashburton 8GS Avon . 1,224 Canterbury Sefton . 2,029 Central . 5.819 Akaroa 25 Chris tchurch '. GiO Total .. .. 10,605 boxes. Cheese. Factory. Crates. Factory. Crates. Okain's Bay .. 1.270 Clandeboy .. 1,268 Le Bon's Bay 343 Saxon 549 Wainui 521 Barry's Bay 550 Little Akaloa. 'J 08 Temuka 93 Pigeon Bay 920 Geraldine 110 Wairewa .. .. 980 Alpha .. . 95 Essydale .. G76 Onawe 2S2 Total number shipped from Lvttelto] i—S625.