SOUTHERN DAIRY FACTORY COMPANIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3315, 26 September 1917, Page 10

SOUTHERN DAIRY FACTORY COMPANIES.

EDENDALE. The annual meeting of the Edendalo Dairy Factory Company was attended by upwards of 60 shareholders, over whom Mr Tho 3. Eades, chairman of directors, presided. The annual report congratulates dairymen on a highly successful season. The returns to suppliers constituted a record —Is 7d per lb for butter-fat has already been paid out, and the surplus represents another 2d per lb. The directors recommend that the final bonus bo lj|d, and that fully paid-up shares be issued to suppliers lor tho amount represented by tho other farthing. _ The backend cheese sent Homo on consignment last year realised sufficient to pay a bonus of lOd per lb. The output of cheese shows an increase from, last season, reaching 540 tons. The amount paid for milk (455,8371 b fat) was £39,883 2s KM, and the amount received from chceso (1,209,5991 b) £45,041 14a lid. Messrs John Morris, sen., and R. K. M'Donald were re-elected to the board of directors. MILTON. The annual meeting of shareholders of the Milton Dairy Factory Company was presided over by Mr P. Porter (chairman of directors), who, in moving the adoption of tho annual report and balance sheet, congratulated tho company on a successful season. Tho sum of £1633 was owing to suppliers, and the- directors had not yet decided whether the whole of this amount or only a portion should be paid to shareholders at the settling up in October. A suggestion had been mado to pay out threefourths' of the amount owing to the difficulties of financial arrangements and to reduce interest on overdraft until payments were fprthcoming for the ensuing season's products. Tho annual report states that good prices were obtainable for all the cheese sold, which enabled progress payments to be made of Is 2d per lb butterfat on all milk supplied for cheese-making up to the end of. April, while for May and Juno Is 3d was paid. A further 6d per lb has now been credited to suppliers, making the total price for butter-fat Is 8d and Is 9d per lb for the periods mentioned. A uniform payment and final payment of Is 4d per lb of butter-fat was made on all milk received for butter-making. The balance sheet shows that the amount received for cheese was £6584 14s 3d and for butter £346 Is 2d. The balance sheet for th-> whey-skimming plant shows a credit balance of £57 9s lid. The receipts total £346 Is 2d—30031b of whey butter, £lB7 13s 9d, 22151 b -factory butter, £l5B 7s sd. Messrs R. H. Mitchell and D. O. Davidson were re-elected directors. TTSBURY. The annual general meeting of tho Tisbury Co-operative Dairy Factory Company (Ltd.) was held on tho 19th inst., the chairman of directors (Mr John Shepherd) presiding over a large attendance. The annual report showed that from 2,612,8981 b of milk, with an average test of 3.682 per cent., 255,8151 bof cheese was manufactured; £8327 2s Sd was divided amongst 99 suppliers, and a small further payment has yet to be mado ; £259 12s 4d was spent on repairing and altering the factory and plant; £7l 3s. 3d spent on new plant, and £283 3s 3d (making £739 4s 2d since the factory was opened in 1910) written off as depreciation. In moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, the chairman congratulated the shareholders on the company's good position, and though ho could not forecast the prices for the ensuing year, reminded them that Mr Massey had said tho prices would bo less than last season. Messrs W. H. Swan and J. Wixon were elected directors, and at a subsequent meeting Mr Shepherd was reelected chairman. It was decided to advance Is 7d per lb on butter-fat in the meantime. MOSGIEL.

The first annual general meeting of shareholders of the Mosgiel Co-operative Dairy Factory Company was presided over by Mr Wm. Blackie (chairman of directors). The annual report stated that tho output of cheese for the 10 months the factory had been running in tho period under review was slightly over 80 tons. The net profit was £487 10s. In proposing the adoption of the report and balance sheet, the chairman referred to the good season that had been experienced. As it had been the opening year, somewhat of an uphill fight had l been experienced and there had been a lot of preliminary expenses which would not occur this year. Referring to tho need for cold storage at Dunedin, he detailed what had been done to have same erected. On account of the shipping the outlook was not too hopeful for tho incoming year. The number of directors for the ensuing year was fixed as five, and 1 the following gentlemen were elected:—Messrs W. Blackie, John H. Allan, W. L. Craig, W. G. Taylor, J. Bradbury. , Mr John Logan was re-elected auditor. BALFOUR. At the annual meeting of shareholders of the Balfour Dairy Factory Company (Ltd.) the directors' report stated that tho price paid for butter-fat throughout the season was Is 7d per lb, with an extra £6! per lb in fully paid-up shares to suppliers. The amount of milk received was 1,173,5211 b, with an average test of 3.6. The total amount of cheese manufactured was a little over 50 tons. The balance sheet showed a credit to -profit and loss account of £236 5s 2d. Mr A. H. M'Donald, late of Pyramid Factory, has been appointed manager for the "forthcoming season. PUKERAU. The directors' report presented to shareholders at the annual meeting of the Pukerau Dairy Factory Company (Ltd.) states that 127 tons of cheese was manufactured and two tons of whey butter. Number of suppliers. 35; lb of milk received. 2,884.164; lb of butter-fat received, 107.556: nverage test, 3.72; lb of cheese produced, 283,871; lb of milk to lb of cheese, 10.16; lb of cheese from lb of

butter-fat, 2.64 ; lb of butter produced, 6424. Aitur placing £fcrfj to the reserve account, the profit, and Joss shows a credit of £75 13a Id. From this your directors propose to pay a dividend of 5 per cent, on capital paid to August 31, 1916, amounting to £47 lis Id, and to carry the balance forward. Tho following directors were elected:— Messrs A. J. Irvine, P. O'Hagen, and J. Scully, Mr Irvine being re-elected chairman. TUTUKATJ. The annual report presented to shareholders -of the Tuturau Dairy Factory Company showed that the quantity of cheese manufactured was 93 tons. The receipts from cheese for tho 1916-17 season was £6870 3s 4d and for butter £267 8s 3d. Tho amount paid to suppliers for milk was £3949 7s lid. The "profits for the year amounts to £129 18s 4d, from which the directors recommended the usual dividend of 6 per cent, be paid. SWITZERS. At the annual meeting ;of the shareholders of the Switzers Co-operative Dairy Factory Company (Ltd.) the report presented stated c that the directors regretted, that owing to the small supply they were unable to recommend a payment for milk over Is 6d per lb butter-fat. The directors urged suppliers to increase tho supply as to make it sufficiently large to produce not less than 50 tons of cheese. The year's output "was barely 43 tons. The profits on the year's operations was £lB2 13s, and tho total to 'credit of profit and loss account was £346 13s Bd, after providing for depreciation and dividend on share capital.From the latter sum the directors recommend a further payment of Id per lb for butter-fat. The amount paid for milk' was £2666 13s 2d. and the revenue from the sale of cheese £3837 8s 2d.

MAITLAND. The third annual report of the Tvlaitland Co-operative Dairy Factory Company states that the milk supplied was 1,052,5621 b, which produced 102,1051 bof cheese. The price paid for butter-fat (39.6321 b) was £2972 10a lid. Tho output of cheese, unfortunately, shows a reduction of 12 tons on last years figures. Tho shrinkage in the milk supply to less than a 50-ton output made for a high cost of manufacture and a corresponding reduction in the price paid for milk. Tho profit on the year s working as shown in trading account is £63 Is 3d, making a balance to credit of profit and loss account of £79 10s lid, from which the directors recommend tho payment of a dividend of 5 per cent, on capital paid up to August 34, 1916, and write 5 per cent, off property for depreciation, and carry the balance forward. HEKEIA. The report of the Hekeia Dairy Factory shows that tho intake of milk was 870,2861 b, which yielded 31,9731 b of butter-fat, making 1 36 tons lewt 3qr 151 bof cheese. Of the output 30 tons were taken by tho Government at 9£d, Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. bought two and a-half tons at 9id, and tho balance realised on trucks at Hekeia. The suppliers received £2187 19s lid for their milk. There was a falling off in the intake of milk as compared with last season. This the directors regret, as the plant is able to deal with a much larger intake with' an enhanced profit to the suppliers. The directors will make a further payment of 2d per lb butter-fat, bringing the total for the season up to Is 6^d. BIRCHWOOD. Tho directors of the Birchwood Co-opera-tive Dairy Factory Company, in their annual report, state that a whey butter plant was installed at a cost of £356. The return received for butter was £320 10s 9d, which practically paid, the "butter-fat tax. The expenditure on material, and, in fact, all working accounts, has very materially increased, rennet alone costing about £2OO more than usual. During the negotiations with the Government the company _ had to carry its own insurance on practically its whole stock. The insurance premium has consequently more than doubled. Coal, cartage, and wages all increased- substantially. Considerable .repairs were carried out at a cost of £lO5 lis 4d, which will not be recurring. A sum of £2OO has been reserved for tho Sinking Fund account, which now stands at £550. The aggregate of increased cost of the manufacturing items" mentioned, the butter-fat tax-j and the Reserve Fund have absorbed a considerable portion of tho extra price obtained for cheese. Suppliers have been paid is 6Jd per lb for butter-fat, and the payment of interest on capital at 7J>- per cent, has been approved by the directors, and your confirmation of this is asked for. Negotiations are ponding for the sale of the incoming season's make to the Tho very material variation in tho weight of milk taken to produce lib of cheese in different factories would indicate that this matter requires investigation in the interests of dairv-farmers. The quantity varies between 9.501 b and 10.701 b. The advisability of having a standard fixed might be tho subject of discussion between the Government Dairy Department and the fao-, tories. Theoretically 101 bis considered the weight. It will be seen that if 101 b milk should produce lib of cheese, and 10.501 b is taken, suppliers are losing on current values about £4- 5s on every ton of cheese produced in their factory. On the contrarv, if lib of cheese can be turned out at a" consumption of 9.501 b of milk, without any manipulating of weights at tho intake, it would bo valuable for factories to know how it is done. The following is a comparative statement, the figures for 1916 beina given in parentheses: —Number of suppliers. 15 (15); mihe received 2.717.9611 b (2.490.8371 b) : butter-fat produced. 103.0931 b (91.4311 b); cheese produced. 258 8721 b (237.8711 b): average ™nce paid per lb butter-fat. Is 63d (Is 4 l-sd): average price paid per gallon of 101 b, 7d (5 94d): milk required to produce lib of brttter-fat, 26.361 b (27.241 b- average tesi, 3.79 (3.67); milk to produce lib of cheese, 10 501 b (10.471 b): choose, produced from lib butter-fat. 2.511 b (2.601 b); whey butter produced, 5?8?lb; butter from each ton of cheese, 45^1b.