STRATFORD DAIRY FACTORY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 136, 1 August 1911, Page 5

STRATFORD DAIRY FACTORY.

H* : .r ANN UAL MEETING. Tho annual mooting of shareholders of the Stratford Co-operative Dairy factory Company was held at the Town Hall this morning, Air. 11. Dingle (chairman of directors) presiding. About a hundred shareholders were present. Mr. A. Fanil forwarded an apology for absence, stating that ho had to give tip possession of ids farm. Chairman’s Address. Tho report and balance-sheet, a digest of wnich lias already been pub- ( lished m our columns, wore taken as ; road. , i • in moving their adoption tho Chair- ■> man expressed pleasure a t seeing so : mimy or tne olu-time faces—none, at least, ’had been lost during the past year. It was always a pleasure to nim to see tho suppliers, especially at the :i r annual meeting, as it lormed an excellent opportunity for tho directors i.‘ to clear up any matters on which shareholders had doubts and to give an account of tlieir stewardship, the Stratford Company was in rather a different position to neighbouring conipdnies.' Other companies bad realised on their freezing works shares; but the Stratford Company had not done so, and could always lay its hands on the money duo to tncin in this respect, and ho thought that it was highly desirable that the company should always have some such nest-egg. if the whole of tho company’s buildings were destroyed this money would be very handy. Ho went into tho relations of the company with tho Egmont Dox Company,, voicing the opinion that suppliers would do the best for themselves if they stuck to the box company. As to manure, shareholders should at once order their supplies. The local company did not stock manure nor did tho National Dairy Association—if the stuff were stocked there would at once be expense for storage, if ■ tho manure was to be supplied cheaply it must be got in quantities. Nothing could bo done if tho company was approached every now and again ' by farmers asking for a few tons "of V. ‘manure — farmers should at once make up their minds as to how much manure they wanted for the year. The company was seventh on tho grading list. Tnere had boon a fire at the factory, and it was intended to re-build ip brick-;' Herd-testing had only been at the central factory. At an’early date shareholders would iiave to consider the question of the Toko train service, some different time-table being necessary. The directors had gone into tho question of installing a motor-lorry, to deal with the East Road, but it llad been found that the lorry could not be worked to advantage owing to the bad grade.on Sang’ster’s Hill. Mr. Rawles seconded the motion for the adoption of the report and bal-ance-sheet.' In answer to questions by shareholders, Mr. Dingle - said the dircctoi's’ expenses were rather more this yeq,r, chiefly because the’directors had had more meetings and because the directors had had to make visits to other factories for the purpose of inspecting pasteurising plants. The matter of carriage of the Toko cream was getting very acute. On Saturday list>he had mot tho employees of the company, and he was very well impressed by them. They could make good butter, but they demanded on tKoir part that they be supplied with good milk. Mr Sangster said some action should bo taben'in regard to buying shares. According to the balance-sheet it appeared that' the value of the company’s shares, was somewhere in the vicinity of £2. Ho thought it was very well to purchase large quantities of manure through the N ational . Dairy ~ Association, but as regards the purchase of cow and horse covers, he thought, if the difference of price was not too great, that local dealers should be given preference. Mr, Lehmann asked why there was , so .much of an increase in the cost of labour as compared with last year. The Chairman said a man had had to be engaged to look after the pasteuriser. it was said, that other factories worked with ouo man less than the Stratfdrd Factory. Perhaps the) had got into an old-fashioned groove, • out of which they might probably get during tho ensuing year. Mr. Rawles asked why the directors had made a donation to the A. and P. Association. He thought the directors had no right to do so. Ho thought tho show would die a natural death—otherwise ho would move an Amendment to the balance-sheet, a thing he would not like to do. The Chairman said the directors: certainly had a right to make such donations. It was given for tho encouragement of agriculture, and tho sum voted represented about a shil- . ling a head of the shareholders. Neighbouring companies had made similar donations. . .Mr. Lehmann said that if the directors wished to “make a name for themselves” they should have subscribed the amount out of their own pockets. • tvTlio Chairman said he was chair- • * man of the A. and P. Association, and 7 his position had cost him more than the ten guineas given by the dairy factory, including the shilling a head. (Laughter). Mr.'Marfell said the money had boon y;bied for a special class at the show. The report and 'balance-sheet were adopted. Retiring Directors. Mr. Rawles proposed a vote of thatiks. to the , retiring directors, some of wyhom wore leaving the district. Mr. Webb seconded. __ The Chairman said it seemed odd tohim that anybody should desire to leave the district—it was one of tho best in the Dominion, though some people did not seem to recognise tho fact. The retiring directors had always done their work cheerfully. ;The motion was carried with acclamation. Inspection of Dairies. ‘ Mr. Fulton, local representative of , the Dairy Division of the Department ,6r\ Agriculture, made a few remarks to the meeting. Ho said that last s immer he had gone round the cows leds in the district, and had found , that in some places whore only repairs were thought to be necessary farmers had decided to re-build entirely. In other places, however, things which hjid been recommended had not been done. It was highly necessary to have . - sheds in such a condition that clean milk could be supplied. There were some sheds in the district from which it could not be expected to got clean hlilk, considering the hurry in which milking was carried on. There were a good many people who wore trying to make as much as possible nut of tho land in the shortest possible time; but those properly in the industry should take stops which would ho good for all time. If he found anybody taking no notice of his recommendations he would have to speak more straight to him. There wore a good number of farms in the district which had not improved to tho extent they should have. There wore, farm dwellings and buildings which wore no credit to the

district. The land had greatly increased in value, and it was high time tho old style of buildings was supercoded. Some farmers said they would not improve their buildings because they wore about to sell out. Sometimes they sold out and sometimes they did not; but be (Air. Fulton) would take the man in possession as the responsible party. Air. Rawles proposed a vote of thanks to Air. Fulton for bis remarks. Ho raid Mr. Fulton was not one of the arbitrary typo of inspectors. Mr. Webb seconded tho motion. He said that at one time ho did not like inspectors, but now be was glad to see them because of the information they gave. The Chairman said some time ago bo bad done as little as possible regarding bis shod. Then he bad boon forced to cany out improvements : and after bo bad concreted bis shed ho wondered why lie had not done so a long time before. The motion of thanks was carried by acclamation. In returning thanks Air. Fulton, said the Department had prepared plans of throe or four styles of cowsheds nhich were always available for farmers. Cncnins the Factor:'. Tho Chairman said he had heard ■ requests that the factory should be opened at once. The factory had had to be closed for repairs, and ho did not think it could bo opened before Aloutlay next, but this would carry out the shareholders’ wish to have tho factory opened on the Monday nearest co August 10th. Personally he believed iii keeping the factory open for the whole year, and he thought a cow would be all the better for being milked up to six weeks before calving. Most of tho employees were yearly hands, and tho factory manager said there would ho no great expense in keeping open the whole year. Mr. Sangster said he was against milking all the year round He thought those who milked throughout the summer deserved some rest, and ho was sure tho farmer would lose more than bo would gain, bis other work falling back. A shareholder said the shareholders had placed tho business in the hands of tho directors, and ho presumed the directors would keep the factory open so long as such a course seemed to ho good business. No action was taken, the only object of the discussion being to get an expression of opinion. Shifting tho Main Factory. Air. Webb moved: That this meeting recommends to the incoming directors that it is advisable to move tho main factory to Skinner Road, where water-power can ho got, also' a railway siding, and two creameries can bo put outside tho Borough of Stratford. Mr. Webb said there would be a groat saving if the factory were shifted to Skinner Road. There would bo :t big saving in the coal bill, and there would also be a saving on the carting of the blitter to the railway, as a railway siding could be provided at Skinner Road. Mr. Sangster seconded. Ho thought there could be no harm in passing tho motion. Air. Rawles thought it was not fair to put tho question, as so many shareholders had loft tho meeting. On a show of hands the motion was carried by a good majority. Proposed Amalgamation. The Chairman said tire Huiakama Dairy Company had approached the directors with a view to amalgamation. The directors desired some direction from the meeting. Mr. Marfell moved that the directors moot the Huiakama Company with a view to amalgamation. Air. Sangster seconded. Ho thought it would he discourteous to Huiakama net to do something with the proposal. Ho objected to ■ a dog-in-the-manger policy. Several creameries had been lost to Stratford which would not have been .lost had a proper business spirit been shown. Tho Chairman said the directors .vonld protect the interests of shareholders. If tho Huiakama Company vas deeply in debt care would bo taken that the Huiakama shareholders did not come in on the same footing as Stratford shareholders. After a short discussion the motion was carried. Election of Directors. Alessrs. Alarfoll, Sangster, and Lehmann were elected to fill vacancies caused by retirements, and Alessrs. Robson and Alilno wore elected to fill vacancies caused by resignations.