NEW AWATUNA FACTORY

Taranaki Daily News, 27 August 1930, Page 6

NEW AWATUNA FACTORY

FACILITIES FOR TEN VATS. • COMPANY'S STEADY GROWTH. ~~ ■ > •Steady growth in output extending over 36 years has been experienced by the Awatuna Dairy Company, and this year for the ..first time hj,,. its history oyer a million pounds of butter-fat was handled-at the company’s two factories. In recent years, tho premises at Awatuna, containing five vats, have been taxed beyond capacity and last year the directors decided to build an entirely new factory of dimensions that would meet the expansion in output for many years. This work has been completed and the old building has been demolished.

-A modern and spacious building completely equipped on the most up-to-date lines now stands on the site in Upper Auroa Road. ■ Space has been provided for ten vats but if double_presse« are utilised it will be possible" to accommodate 12 vats, This season it is anticipated that six vats will be sufficient.

But the management has looked well ahead in planning the building and with the large areas around Awatuna whien have yet' to bo brought into dairy production : there is little doubt that the anticipations of increased production will be realised within a few years. Facing Auroa Road for 126 feet the structure, which is of reinforced concrete throughout, has a front elevation of neat and imposing design and for 80 feet a wide suspended verandah gives shelter from rain and sun over the two milk receiving stands and the cream receiving stand. Sliding doors enable the stands, when not in use, to be completely closed to dust and the cold westerly winds. The milk is received in two weighing machines, then passing through a 400'D-gallon regenerator and a cooler, It) feet long, to the cheese vats. SPACIOUS CHEESE ROOM. The cheese-making room is notable for its spaciousness, being 57 feet wide and running practically the whole depth of the building. Finished in white cement and with all woodwork painted white the appearance is of cleanliness and freshness. Concrete floors with a slight slope to either side from the middle give just sufficient fall to ensure that water does not lie about. The butter room is also of liberal proportions and is finished in white. In addition to the churns it contains two cream pasteurisers and a direct expansion cooling system. The whey on being drained from the vats is carried off in tiled drains around the building to a white tiled whey tank measuring °l4ft by lift prior to being separated. At the rear of the main building is the curing room, a separate building completely insulated and fitted with special adjustable ventilators and double window sashes, outside of which are patent adjustable covers for keeping off the sun. This room is 75ft by 30ft with a curing capacity of 16 vats and storage space for 3000 cheeses. At the far end of this building the. packing and waxing room, 30'ft by 20ft, is located. From this the produce is loaded direct to lorries to be carted to the railway at Auroa. A new 40 h.p. boiler lias been installed, the boiler-room being 26ft by i 14ft. The engine-room, 26ft by 24ft, houses a four-ton refrigerator and a • water pump with a capacity;> of 3500 gallons an hour. All shafting is run on ball-bearings, thus giving silent operation, and by means of a clutch the drive can be made to the cheese agitators or the pasturiser as required.

Among the subsidiary rooms are the manager’s office, : starter room, test room, salt room, bathroom and clothes room for the staff. Water is provided from a 4000-gallon tank with a special tank for chilled water located over the freezing room, the supply coming from a stream nearby. . FOUNDERS OF THE COMPANY. The contract for the building was entrusted to Mr. J. Simmons, the architect being Mr. J. D. Healy. The fitting of the dairy equipment was carried out by J. B. Mae Ewan and Co., Ltd., while Messrs McMillan and Fredrie supplied and installed the regenerating plant. The plumbing ,was undertaken by Mr. J. P. Casey, the plastering by Mr. B. Kerswell and the painting by Mr. A. Rickleben.

This year completes the thirty-sixth year of the company’s existence. Of the original subscribers to the memorandum of association in 1894 none remain in the district. They were Messrs A Proudloek, H. Burgess, Briant Brothers, W. Candy, and Co., C. Korte, J. G. Ranby and R. Henson.

The first chairman was Mr. A. Proudloek, followed by Mr. R. Henson, Mr. •W. Watson, Mr. H. S. Briant and Mr. W. Ludlow. For ten years Mr. M. W Barker was chairman, followed by Mr. S. R. Farquhar, who has been chairman ever since with the exception of an interval during which Mr. A. E. Collins was chairman. The various secretaries of the company have been Messrs W. Morton, H.

R. Fisher, R.' G. Su ey, J. W. Harding, :,W. R, Spooner.,and L. Niccolls (the present secretary). ' ' _ . There;: have been four managers— Messrs W. Poole,- T. Huckstep, J. Callaghan and, J. Flavin. This year completes the 21st year of Mr. . Flavin’s of the factory,, a record that: is attained by few in the dairy industry. , The branch at Taungatara, of which Mr. R. W. Clements is manager, forms an important portion of tlie company’s operations. Established over 25 years ago as a five-vat factory, it was subsequently increased to seven vats, but when this became too small it was decided to enlarge the place to accommodate ten vats, Consequently a sep-arator-room, engine-room, boiler-room, and salt-water-room were constructed in concrete and the whole premises brought up to a modern standard. This work was completed about two years ago. GROWTH OF THE OUTPUT. The following comparative figures indicate the steady increase in the company’s output, that within the past five years in particular being most

The company’s output is now seventh largest in South Taranaki and fifth largest of those exporting through . Patea grading store, i In 1899 less than £7OOO was paid to suppliers, whereas for the past season payments have amounted to £67,938. In 1899 the pay-out was only 7/d and 8d per lb. butter-fat, or less than half that of the past ■season...

HAWERA LADIES’ GOLF CLUB. - ECLECTIC COMPETITIONS. / ■ The two-day eclectic competition played by the non-handicap players of the Hawera Ladies’ Golf Club was completed on Friday and resulted in a win for Miss Mary Hawken, whose score was 107—36—71. Other good cards were those of Miss Z. Spragg 110—36—74, Miss T. Lamb 111—36—75, Miss J. Easton 112—36 —76, Mrs, Smith 113 ; — 36—77. The second round of the senior twoday eclectic will be played on Friday. Tho draw is: Miss Edna Hawken v. Miss E. Burgess, Mrs. Thomson v. Mrs. McQuin, Miss K. Robertson v. Miss Richardson, Mrs. Dalgetty v. Mrs. Walkley, Miss Dora Hawken v. Mrs, Wake, Mrs. Hawthorne v. Mrs< Whitehead, Mrs. Dickie v. Mrs. Gabites, Miss Knight V. Miss G. Death, Mrs. Gibson v. Mrs. Baigcnt, Mrs. J. Bayley v. Mrs. W. Bright, Mrs. McKenzie v Miss R. Pease, Mrs. Hunt v. Mrs. Vinnicombe, Mrs. Ritchie v. Mrs. Davy, Miss M. Hawken v. Miss E. Buist, Miss W. Huggins v. Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Fearon v. Miss Z. Spragg, Miss Hogan v, Mrs. Rudge, Miss J. Powdrell v. Mrs. McAnerin.

Numbers of new players have earned their L.G.U. handicaps and swell the numbers in the bronze division. Last week three more members returned cards entitling them to handicaps. They were Miss Mary Hawken 115 —36, Miss Z. Spragg 110 —31 and Miss J. Easton 115 —36. Further reductions were made by Mrs. Dickie 92—16, Mrs. Vinnicombe 109 —30 and Miss M. Hawken 112—33. HAWERA PLUNKET SOCIETY. MONTHLY MEETING HELD. Twenty-six new eases were reported by the nurse to the monthly meeting of the Hawera branch of the Plunket Society on Monday. The nurse stated that during the month the visits of mothers and babies to the office numbered 866. She had visited 195 homes. There were present at the meeting Mesdames Winks, Tait, Jobson, Bardsley and Whitehead. The following subscriptions were acknowledged: Mrs. Harrop ss, Mrs. J. Goodwin ss, Mrs. S. Reece ss, Mrs. W. H. Pearce ss, Mrs. Palmer (Normanby)

; bs. / OHANGAI EUCHRE PARTIES. The final dance and euchre party of ; tho points prize series was held in the Ohangai hall on Friday, when there was present probably one of the largest crowds that has attended the functions this season. Fourteen games of euchre were played, the winners being Miss Renowden (11 games), Rangi Tonga (12 games), Miss Rangi Tonga (consolation) and Mr. R. Aka (consolation). The points prizes were presented, the winner of the ladies’ prize being Mrs. N. Lee with 93 games, Mrs. A. Williams •’

being second with 89 games. The men’s points prize was won by Mr. 11. Elmes with 92 games, the runner-up being Mr. J. Davidson with 88 games. Dancing was enjoyed to music supplied by the Melody Boys dance orchestra, with extras by Misses G. Savage and M. Dyson. GENERAL ITEMS. A donation of £lO was received at a special meeting of the Hawera Borough ! Council on. Monday night from the Park Croquet Chib, which requested permission to use a further portion of the park grounds on occasions when the present croquet green was overcrowded. The donation was accepted with thanks and the permission asked was granted. Subscription lists for the Lance V. Gibson memorial fund are to be opened at the Hawera borough chambers and the Hawera Star office, decided the Ha- 1 wera Borough Council on Monday night. ' | The appeal is to be sponsored by the Mayor and councillors. Anticipating applications for extra- . ordinary water, supply services on the ’ night service system would greatly exceed the maximum number of 20 to be < granted the Hawera Borough Council - was surprised on Monday night when < only seven applications were received. The, applicants were Messrs,. H. Thrush, < J. Sheehan, A. Brown, S. C. Tonks, F. 1 S. arid C. Lovell, F. C. Bone and R. L. • 1 Pease, •

marked. : : , TODS ■ , Tons: . ; . Cheese . • Blitter 1899 ... ..... .!■: • 76 26 1907 ... 385 30 1910 ... 430 51 1915 ... ..... 604 25 1920 ...... 636 18 1925 ... ..... 654 93 1926 ... .810 4 1927 ... ..... 871 46 1928 ..... 867 39 1929 ... ..... ' 1078 • . 32 1930 ... ..... 1043 100