SUPPLIERS' MEETING.

Putaruru Press, 2 June 1926, Page 6

SUPPLIERS ' MEETING.

MATAMATA CHEESE INTERESTS. A meeting called by the suppliers’ committee of the N.Z.C.D.C. Ltd. Matamata cheese factory, Messrs. B. C. Taylor (chairman), H. McKean and W. T. Walker, was held on Thursday night to discuss matters preliminary to the annual meeting. The meeting was called partly to discuss the proposed payment of Is 7d for the season. The payment last year was Is 8.53 d, and. Mr. Taylor said it had been thought that it would be Is 9d this year. The company had evidently seen fit to hold a large amount of the supply in the early part of the season, thinking that on account of the large purchases by “ free on board ” buyers from other companies that there was a good future price in view. If cheese did not go higher than 90s the payout would be Is 7d ; if the market dropped further the payment would be less. Mr. Walker thought the company was to be commended for forwarding ■the information in advance. Mr. Banks said the estimate of 90s was probably a very conservative estimate ; it was desirable to avoid what happened one time before, when a refund had to be made, and which inconvenienced people. It was quite likely that the market might be £93 or £94. Mr. Taylor said that if the payment was Is 7d average it would make a difference of £3412 as against last year, and) if deductions were to be made it would make a difference of £5273. He endorsed Mr. Banks’ remarks that Is 7d was probably a very conservative estimate. The statement •was only a trial balance, full , figures not being available until the end of May. If cheese rose the unsold portion would realise higher rates. Still there was a lot of leeway Co make up to reach the payouts it was said other companies were making. Regarding the local factory, Mr. Dickson had stated that there was a decided sag in the roof of the building, and that it would cost over £3OO to rectify it. The committee had then asked for the cost of putting iron on the roof, and found it would take £4OO. By this means the weight would be reduced by 50 tons, the architect •had reported. Mr. Taylor said he understood the

roof had had a sag in it for the last nine or ten years, but certain flumes that bore on the roof, and the vibrating machinery of the glaxo was not now in operation, and probably the roof would stand the strain. Mr. Banks proposed that the company be asked to measure the sag and note whether there was an increase. Mr. C. D. Rollett spoke on similar lit'es, endorsing the committee’s notion and commending them for calling the meeting. Mr. Taylor stated that Mr. Barnes hadi resigned his position as manager, but was induced to reconsider. He had been suffering with a bad arm, but had carried on for tile company’s convenience. Mr. Barnes had agreed to stop on, provided he had a holiday to see if he could recover. Mr. Barnes was an excellent manager. Matamata was the company’s largest factory, and l the grade, fat recoveries and proportion of second-grade cheese compared more than favourably with other factories, and it would be a misfortune if they lost Mr. Barnes. The committee had recommended that Mr. Barnes be given six weeks’ holiday. Mr. C. D. Rollett and others endorsed the committee’s action. Mr. Rollett said there was no manager in the North Island who studied the suppliers’ interests more than Mr. Barnes did. He was very pleased that the committee had taken the action reported.