DAIRY INDUSTRY

Southland Times, Issue 20794, 7 June 1929, Page 8

DAIRY INDUSTRY

THE SOUTH ISLAND

ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF ASSOCIATION

SOUND FINANCIAL- POSITION

(From Our Special Reporter.)

Dunedin, June 6.

The annual conference of the South Island Dairy Association opened this morning under the chairmanship of Mr. 11. J. Middleton, of Invercargill. There was a large attendance of delegates from factories in all parts of the South Island, including representatives of the following Southland factories: Awarua, Brydone, Drummond, Edendale, The Farmers’ Dairy Federation, Fortrose, Glenham, Gorge Road, Grove Bush, Hokonui, Mataura Island, Kennington, Mabel, Mataura, Menzies Ferry, Mokotua, Morton Main’s, Otahuti, Oteramika, Pine Bush, Ryal Bush, Seaward Downs, Thornbury, Tisbury, Tokonui, Tuatapere, Tuturau, Waianiwa, Waikaka Valley, Woodlands, Wright’s Bush and Wyndham. In moving the adoption of the report (previously published) and balance-sheet, the chairman extended a hearty welcome to the delegates. In regard to the financial aspect of the association he said that the organization was now in a more sound position than ever before. It had been thought that the loss of one or two big sources of revenue would affect finances, but this had not been so. In reference to the trading account he said more support had been given by factories during the year, and business had increased by 20 per cent; but the value was not so great, owing to the lower values of the quantities. Still, the association was succeeding in cutting’ out its competitors. Not much money was being made out of the association s machinery business. Profit was not hoped for, as the business was commenced with the aim of assisting members. The revenue, too, from the shipping source would disappear after this year. Mr. D. Rutledge (Farmers’ Dairy Federation) : I would not give up hope. Mr. Middleton: I don’t know that we want it back. When we knew last year we were very much perturbed, but now I don’t think it matters very much. It was one of those cases of realization not being nearly so bad as the anticipation. Continuing, the speaker said that, although the reports of Government graders in New Zealand showed that the quality of Dominion products was improving year by year, there were frequent complaints received from Home. It. was most unfortunate, and the speaker suggested that the Department should investigate the matter in regard to the sale of dairy produce. Mr Middleton said that the prices received had been disappointing and had shown a great deal of variation with the result that the pay-out for the season to factories would range from 1/6 to 1/11, which would involve a great deal of trouble among factories, and directors who had refused the offers made at the beginning of the season were in a very unenviable position. It was impossible to forecast the probable state- of the market, and the past season had been a typical example of this. Prospects had been good at the opening of the season, and directors had felt, justified in declining the offers, made early in the season, but the fall in the market had resulted in very disappointing returns from consigning. The gazetting of the new dairying regulations at the end of last year had come as a bombshell to the industry' in the South Island, and strong opposition had been voiced with the result that the Minister had agreed to suspend the regulations until after this conference had had an opportunity to discuss them. This had caused chaos within the Department, there being no regulations at all in force, and after further consideration the association had agreed to the whole of the new regulations, with the exception of the clause prohibiting the separating of cream in any factory not manufacturing standardized cheese. This matter would come up for consideration during the conference.

The adoption of the report was seconded by Mr A. P. Fleming (Otokia) and carried. The retiring directors, Messrs J. Thacker (O’Kain’s Bay) and William Bryant (Henley), were re-elected unopposed. Calf Export Scheme. In moving the'adoption of the report of the Southland Calf Export Committee in regard to operations for the past season, Mr John Fisher (Otautau) stated that an extremely satisfactory year had been experienced although one Of two features had not been entirely satisfactory. Southland exporters had been handicapped in that their products reached the market later than the North Island products, when the market was falling, but despite this the return to farmers from the Southland pool was greater than in other provinces. One difficulty was that some of the schemes were not carried out on co-operative lines, with the result that there was occasionally a tendency to undersell the co-operative pools and create a fall in prices. The conference congratulated the committee on the success of its operations.

The following were appointed to the Awards’ Committee: Messrs John Fisher, William McLean (Otago) and G. R. Herron (Pukerau).