CHAIRMAN FOR 21 YEARS

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1930, Page 6

CHAIRMAN FOR 21 YEARS

KAKARAMEA DAIRY COMPANY. MR. A. PEARCE HONOURED. Unique in the dairy industry of the Dominion, and perhaps the world, is the record of Mr. Alfred Pearce, who as chairman of directors has guided the Kakaramea Co-operative Dairy Company for 21 years. As a tribute to the success attained during that period and in recognition of the attainment of Mr. Pearce’s record, a smoke concert was held in the Kakaramea hall on Wednesday evening. There was a representative gathering of dairymen, merchants, settlers and members of local bodies, Mr. F. S. Tarrant, a member of •the directorate, presiding. An illuminated address bearing the following inscription was presented to Mr. Pearce:— “Alfred Pearce, Esq., chairman of directors, Kakaramea Co-operative Dairy Company: Dear Sir, —We, the undersigned directors, on behalf of the shareholders, desire to tender you our heartiest congratulations on this coming-of-age of our company, and in the twentyone years that have elapsed since the company was formed you, as chairman of directors the whole of. this time, have by your untiring efforts, sound business acumen, and ripe judgment, enabled our company to occupy a position in the forefront of dairy companies throughout the Dominion. “On behalf of the shareholders we desire to place on record our warm appreciation of the services you have so freely and ungrudgingly given. “We wish yourself, Mrs. Pearce and family every happiness and prosperity in the future and trust that you will be spared many years to guide the destinies of the company as chairman of directors. “We are, on behalf of the shareholders of the company, very gratefully and sincerely yours, F. S. Tarrant, R. J. Watt, J. T. Dwyer, K. A. Carmichael, H. J. Hall, P. W. Tong, directors, W. F. Shield, secretary.” TRIBUTES TO OTHER FACTORIES. ’ Mr. P. W. Tong proposed the toast of neighbouring factories. Messrs. E. T. Burke (Kaupokonui), E. Parsons (Whenuakura), and P. Hurley (Hurley - ville), in replying, paid tributes to Mr. Pearce and congratulated him bn his great record of service to the suppliers. The chairman, in proposing the health of the guest of the evening, said the directors had felt it was right to hon-. our M r . Pearce now “instead of putting nice things on his tombstone.” No time could be as appropriate as the present when the factory and its chairman bad concluded 21 years of work. Mr. Tarrant recalled that prior to .1909 there was a butter, factory near Patea with creameries at Manutahi, Alton, Petch Road and Gentle Annie. Mr. James Gibbs was appointed chairman of directors and later Mr. Thomas Foreman held that office. In 1909 it became apparent that cheese was a more profitable proposition than butter. Several proposals were put forward and eventually it was decided. to erect a cheese factory in Kakaramea. The directors were Messrs.’ A. Pearce (chairman), L. Macdonald, Reeve, Kennedy, Edgecombe, -Church and. Speight. In 1917 the factory was destroyed by fire and had to be re-built when labour, material and. finance were hard to obtain. With his customary optimism and spirit' of service Mr. Pearce had stepped into the breach, shouldering the financial burden. For this they owed him a debt of gratitude and it was worth recording that the overdraft had been reduced by half in the succeeding years. There had been 156 ordinary meetings and numerous special ones, of which Mr. Pearco had missed only two. When produce was cheap and interest high Mr. Pearce had refused to accept an honorarium. MR. PEARCE’S ABILITY. Possessed of a really remarkable memory, inimitable tact and courtesy, a broad mind, the gift of seeing far ahead, optimism and remarkable equability of temperament, Mr. Pearce was singularly equipped for the chairmanship of directors. In presenting Mr, Pearce with the address Mr. Tarrant hoped ho would bo long spared to carry on the good work. Mr. J. T. Dwyer paid a tribute to Mr. Pearce’a kindness to him when he first came to Kakaramea. Later he had sat on the board of directors with Mr. Pearce, finding the chairman an adept in smoothing differences and showing sound business instinct in piloting the company to success. ■ Mr. R. J, Watt said Kakaramea. owed its present high position to Mr. Pearce. The company was fortunate in having at the head of its affairs a man of such standing. Mr. P. W. Tong recalled that the Kakaramea hall had received substantial assistance from Mr. Pearce. When H. A. Lane and Co.’s representative was in Kakaramea Mr. Pearce had prevailed on him to secure from his firm a donation of £lOO towards the erection of a new hall. Mr. C. D. Dickie recalled that at the Wembley Exhibition Kakaramea had been selected as ths model factory for New Zealand. Messrs. Hall, A. T. Christensen, K. Carmichael, H. Mo®?bp and J. Gibbs all paid their tributes to the work of Mr. Pearce. Applause greeted Mr. Pearco as ho rose to reply, and it was some minutes before ho was permitted to speak. Items were given by Messrs. W. G. Simpson, Hardcnburg, H. W. Thomas, F. Naismith, A. T. Christenson, and J. D. Gilmore.