MOA DAIRYMEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1915, Page 3

MOA DAIRYMEN.

WORDS OVEiI BALAXCE-SiiKET,

A SOMEWHAT LIVELY MEETING. The proceedings at Ike annual meeting- oi shareholders of the Moa l)airy Company in the past have shown that the shareholders can always 'he relied upon to add wordy decoration to a meeting, which, in a calm atmosphere, would be a formal and businesslike happening. On Saturday this year's meeting was held at Tnglewood and the hall was packed with shareholders but, except for some brisk discussions over the balancesheet, and for the fact that on two occasions some speakers became a little too enthusiastic, the meeting passed off comparatively quietly, but sufficient interest was aroused to prolong the business till late into the afternoon. Mr. W. Jones, the retiring chairman, presided.

The report and balance-sheet, which have been published, were taken as read. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, said the company started the season in an uncertain manner owing to the war. No one would buy the butter and the company consigned,-, tincl this action came up trumps. Taking everything on the whole he thought the shareholders would find they had done very well. The reserve account stood at over £2OOO and lie was proud to bp chairman of a company on such a solid foundation. The chairman then reviewed the halance,sheet in detail. Mr. 0. J. Taylor seconded. Mr. Dean asked if the 'balance-sheet was correct, and when the chairman replied in the affirmative ill". Dean remarked: "Well, then some of you should go to school again/' He then pointed out errors in the balance-sheet.

The chairman said tho mistakes were printer's errors. « A shareholder: "Well, you ought to have corrected them. You have put all the shareholders in a muddle."

At this stage lieated words passed between two shareholders, one having questioned the right of the other to speak. Both talking at the same time, they agreed that they were prepared to faee each other, but then the chairman interposed. '"Enough of that," and tfte incident closed.

In answer to a question the chairman said that after paying the bonus the company would be overdrawn at the hank'to the extent of about .C.lftOf).

Mr. T)ean then asked for an explanation of the embarrassed position the company was in in regard to finance.

The chairman: "We were in the same position last year." Mr. Dean: "Well, it should not have been so. Can we pay 20s in the £?" (Lau'ghter.)

Mr. Bakewell remarked that he would compare the balance-sheet to the German ilag and ask what the difference was. The difference |was this: The German flag was not at sea at all, and the company's balance-sheet was all at sea. (Laughter.) After referring to certain items in tile balancesheet Mr. Bakewell said lie would move an amendement to the effect that as the financial position of the company did not justify the payment of a bonus of Id per lb,'the ibonus should (be y 3 d, and thus they, would save iloOO; further, if this was not done the company should shut down tile bulk store. He "moved that the balance-sheet should be rejected unless the bonus could be reduced or the bulk store closed.

Ml'. Taylor said l\c would second the motion pro forma, "to get rid of . •t,' 1 « Tin? eliairmani '"Well, I'll put the .motion tliat the shareholders lose Vsd per lb bonus." Amid some disorder Mr. Uakewcl) protested against the interpretation ol his amendment. The amendment was then read and put to the meeting, and it was emphati- , cally rejected 011 the voices. ( The chairman: 'Any more ques- , tiona?" i Mr. Bakewell: 'Wait a bit; I've got another amendment. 1 move that we pass the balance-sheet and close the bulk store." This amendment \va« lost on the 1 votes. ■ Jtr. Taylor: ' j Xow Mr. Dean can put 'the amendment he has." Mr. Dean: "Dean can speak lor himself without Mr. Taylor being his mouthpiece." Mr. Taylor: "Yes, but you're afraid to put it." Sir. Dean: "I'm afraid of nothing, and I'm afraid of 110 man." The incident then closed after further discussion, the motion was put, and the report and balance-sheet were adopted on the voices. QUESTION 01' A TEST. • The question of taking a poll 011 the question of whether the \\ aitui suppliers should be paid 011 the average test this year, when the test was smaller than ever before, or wlietiier they j should be paid according to the test. .Air. Bakewell said that it did not ■matter to the Waitni people whether a poll was taken or not, as they were not going to abide by what was done. He and the other Waitui suppliers were not going to be forced by this inee.iiig, which seemed capable of doing anything , it wanted. ]t was then proposed that the W aitui suppliers should he paid on the average test. . The manage!' of ihe company said it was evident from llu- samples that the i/:ilk had been tampered with. He made ;< most careful lest ill the pnsenee of !.v.v> assistants. \[ r Tod,l thought that instead of having it poll would be better to have a full ini|iiiry into the matter. After further discussion the motion that the Wait ill suppliers »!l.ouhi he paid 011 the average test was put i!»fl was 10-t by 3.1 votes to '2O. Mr. Todd then moved that the matter should 'be further enquired into. > and that when the foundation ws ( reached the suppliers should be paid, Mr. Dean seconded and the motion carried. X'Cl'uKT 01'" WHEY 'BITTER. Ml' j»NTaylor moved, (a) that the company Hliphatieall.v protests ii'i-aiunt' the' unprincipled procedure of the Agriculture Department m sanctioning'tbe exp'U't, of whev butter under the name ana .brand ol "Vw Zealand factory butter** ttan-W tt.KW/lin" the eoiisuiner, toe imputation of New Zealand. W<\ iurticttiifa financial loss 011 every instilut.oii producincr ami exporting <1 pure, cream bnttei". '(•,.) that «>• claim as a inat"ter of right and of S'air play that all ' iwhev butter for export sVuril be so named and branded us to clearly show that it i s "whey butter," and is the product of a cheese factory: (e) that, rf c«;py ! oi the resolution he forwarded to the ■1 Won. the Premier, the Hon. Sir Joseph :• Watd. Mr. Hindmarsh, -Mr. T. B. Hi»f, \ Mr. H. J. Okey. M.P.'a. Mr. Cuddy (Dairv Commissioner), and to the Hon. <tlie Minutes' for Agriculture: •»

In support uf his motion .Mr. Taylor said whey butter was going on to the Loudon market as Jvew Zealand factory 'butter with tho sanction of the Agriculture Department, ami he eoupidten'od it w>a,s 6cwulaloud tihat this had been allowed to go on. People should not be deceived, ami it should be seen to that whey butter sent Home was accurately described.

Mr. Williams seconded, lie pointed out that nearly all Taranaki had gone in for cheese and tlu-rc were few butter makers, and they would have strong opposition to face.

Mr. Milton, inspector under the Agricultural Department, suggested that before this motion was passed enquiries might be made to see if the matter had not already 'been dealt with. A distinction, he thought, was made in the ibutter. ! The motion was carried, THE DIRECTORATE.

There were ten nominations for the directorate, and the following seven directors were elected:—Messrs T. S. Bowler 512 votes, it. McMahon 412, 11. J. Codd 402, H. A. Hunt .187, Geo. 'Olough .184, J. Staehurski 384, J. 0. Taylor 310. At a subsequent meeting of directors Mr. Bowler was elected chairman. GENERAL. Mr. M. Hopson was re-elected auditor. A motion to obtain the services of an auditor out of Inglewood was lost.

It was decided to establish a cooperative stare and a committee was appointed to prepare the details of the sclieme.

Mr. A. Gray (director of the New Plymouth Technical College) was present at the meeting to ask for a contribution towards the expense of the agricultural instructor. It was decided not to comply with the request.