SOUTHERN DAIRY FACTORY COMPANIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3314, 19 September 1917, Page 10

SOUTHERN DAIRY FACTORY COMPANIES.

WYNDKAM. Tho annual meeting of the Wyndham, Dairy Factory Company was attended by 30 shareholders. Mr R. Abbott (chairman of directors) presided. The report states that the seaeon's output of cheese totalled. 287 tons —a decrease of 19 tons on the previous year. The amount paid to suppliers fo-.- butter-fat was Is 9d per Jb. The milk received at the factory during the year totalled 6,608,5061 b, k yielding 238,6331 b butterfat. The average test was 3.6. The amount paid for milk was £19,072 12s Id, and the sales were—cheese £23,515 17s, butter £BB2 17s 7d, whey £lO9 8s 6d. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, congratulated the milk suppliers on the most successful season yet experienced. The farming community was faced with a serious position, especially as regards labour. The cost of manufacture had been carried out of bounds. Rennet, which formerly cost £7O, last year cost £SOO. This year the New Zealand Company were going 'to manufacture rennet at Patea, and estimated being able to sell it at £9 10s per cask. The whey-butter manufacture had proved a profitable venture, returning Id per lb butter-fat over tho whole season. The report and balance sheet were adopted, and authority was given to pay a dividend of 6 per cunt. Messrs It, Arnott and P. M'Coughan were elected directors, and at a subsequent meeting the former was elected chairman. MORTON MAINS. The directors of the Morton Mains Dairy Factory Company (Ltd.) had a very satisfactory report to submit to the annual meeting. The report showed that the year opened with a credit balance of £24-4- 4s lid, and closed with a credit balance of £702 -19 s 4d, after paying Is 8d per lb for butterfat up to 30th April, and thereafter Is 9d. It was decided at the annual meeting, in view of the satisfactory results of the year, to pay out another 2d per lb to suppliers, making tho nayments for butter-fat Is lOd to 30th April, and Is lid for the balance of the season. The amount paid for milk was £5214 6s lOd, and the sales were:— Cheese £6850 6s lOd, butter £212 3s 6d, cream £3O 18s 4d. The weight of butterfat received was 64,6461 b; and tho weight of cheese manufactured was 181,3231 b. OTAUTAU. At the annual meeting of the Otautau Co-operative Dairy Factory Mr A. Manson presided, and moved .the adoption of the annual report (already published) and balance sheet, disclosing a satisfactory state of affairs, as the factory will start free of debt this season. Messrs G. A. Burnett and J. Thornton were elected director's, and Mr A. Manson was reappointed chairman of directors. It was resolved to pay out a dividend of 7g per cent, on paid-up capital. A further bonus to suppliers of id per lb on butter-fat was directed to be paid whenever cheese now in cool store is paid for. OWARE. Tho annual mooting of the Oware Dairy Factory Company was presided over by Mr T. W. Foster. Tho annual report states that the year's operations have been very satisfactory resulting in a payment of Is 8d per lb for butter-fat over the season, leaving £66 lis 6d balance of profit for tho year after making an allowance for depreciation of plant. The total output of cheese was 70i tons. The total quantity of milk supplied was 1,643,1111 b (a reduction of 90001 b on last year's quantity), which recorded 59,2051 b of butter-fat, and produced a total gross weight of 157,2841 b of cheese. The average test over the whole season is 3.7, 27|lb milk producing 22-31 b cheese, or lOflb milk to lib cheese. Messrs T. W. Foster and A. Campbell were re-elected directors, and at a subsequent meeting the former was reelected chairman. THORNBURY. At the annual meeting of the Thornbury Dairy Company Mr C. Foster presided over an attendance of 26 suppliers. The annual report shows that 186 tons of cheese was manufactured last year. The record price of was received for the output: but the Government having commandeered the cheese tho company had to accept fd less. Tho directors decided to pay an additional penny a pound on FebruaryJune butter-fat, and a further 2id over the whole season, thus making a payment of lg 10£d for tho season. Payments for cheese exported amounted to £14,671 3s sd; load sales, £74; butter sales, £465 13s 7d. The turnover wan £16,195 13s 6d. Suppliers received £12,173 9s 7d for milk and a bonu* of £465 16s 4d, and shareholders dividend* to the amount of £55 4s. Tho total asset*

amount to £4294 3s Bd, and the liabilities oonsist of an overdraft of £lB7 10s. Messrs A. M. Fallow and Robt. Fleck were reelected. Mr 11. J. Kiddle was elected to (ill tho vacancy caused by tha retirement of Mr

G. Brown. . After tho annual meeting tho chairman handed over to Mr Dobbio (tho manager) tho silver medal and diploma for tho second prize for exhibit of New Zealand cheese won by the Thornbury .Dairy Factory Co.