NEW FACTORY OPENED

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1935, Page 8

NEW FACTORY OPENED

HAWERA DAIRY COMPANY CEREMONY AT TOKAORA. PROGRESS OF THE INDUSTRY. Another milestone in the progress of the Hawera Co-operative Dairy Company was passed when the new factory at Tokaora was officially opened yesterday. Over 200 people assembled at the factory, representing the dairy industry and allied interests and the general public from many parts of Taranaki. An inspection of the factory with the men at work making cheese was followed by a short opening ceremony at the factory, after which all present attended a social gathering in the hall. The factory has been under reconstruction for some time, the new building having been erected around the old wooden structure, which was dismantled as sufficient progress was made. Mr. H. E. Johnson, chairman of directors of the company, presided at both gatherings and welcomed the assembly. In his remarks at the factory Mr. Johnson paid tribute to the work of Messrs. C. H. Bowman (general manager) and A. C. Ross, who were largely responsible for the lay-out of the new factory. The estimated cost was £3350, but it was hoped that the actual cost would be less than that. A creamery established in 1904 had given place to a cheese factory in 1908, consequent on the closer settlement of the Livingston estate and other adjacent blocks. The first manager of the creamery was Mr. Bowman’s brother, who was followed by his father in the early days of cheese-making. The present general manager had joined the staff in 1908 and, with Mr. R. Greenbank, who had been arc employee for about the same length of was among those who had been longest in the company's employ. Congratulations to the company on providing such an up-to-date factory for the production of a first, class article were expressed by Mr. J. E. Campbell, Mayor of Hawera. A white ribbon across the stage was cut by one of the earliest settlers, Mrs. Lavery, senr., to officially open the factory. Speakers at the social congratulated the company upon the erection of such a fine, well equipped building. DIRECTORS CONGRATULATED, The toast of the Hawera Co-operative Dairy Company was proposed by Mr. E. T. Burke. -He congratulated the directors on then wisdom in erecting a new factory. The importance of the company in respect to butter production could not be too highly stressed. It was to the credit of the company that it was the firs cream-collecting company in South Taranaki. Mr. Burke paid- tribute to the work of the late Mr. J. R. Corrigan and the former secretary, Mr. G. A. Duncan, in the interests oi dairying in Taranaki and New Zealand generally. The Hawera company was well known for the assistance it gave other i companies, including that which he represented.. It had been difficult for . the present directorate to follow the excellent leadership of the late Mr. J. R. /Corrigan anl Mr. G. A. Duncan, said Mr. Johnson in reply. In the earlier days most of the land west of Hawera in the area which chiefly served the Tokaora factory was held by the Goodsons, McLeans, Livingstons and Moore-Hunters. It was the breaking up of those areas for dairying that enabled the company to make the progress it had made in more recent years. In the 1907-08 season the company produced 555 tons of cheese on a 3.78 test. By 1916-17 the production was 1317 tons ,of cheese at the sapie test. In 1921-22 the company made 2243 tons of cheese at a 3.9 test. Ten years later it had grown to 2823 tons at a ,4.38 test, and in the 1933-34 season 3245 tons of cheese and 800 tons of butter were produced at a 4.45 test.. There was still room for the expansion of the company, and having in mind tire increase in production which was expected the company had built to meet the needs of the future. Experience over 21 years had shown that there was a tendency for the factories to become too small. Mr. Johnson paid a tribute to the work of the secretaries of the company. PROGRESS OF BUILDING. The progress the buildings had made was interesting. At first they had been of wood, and from the concrete floor stage they had progressed to the form of construction that they had seen that day. During the war years they had increased their indebtedness by improving their buildings and machinery. The idea of a levy of a farthing on each pqund of .butterfat, conceived by the late Mr. Corrigan and Mr. Duncan,/ had had the effect of shifting the ownership from, the bank to the suppliers, with the result that last year they had become free of the debt. The levy, which had been in operation for eight years, was discontinued a few years ago, and the remainder of the debt had since been eliminated. Satisfactory arrangements had been made with the bank to meet the expense of the current building programme. In conclusion Mr. Johnson paid a tribute to the team work among the directors and staff.

The importance of the dairy industry to New Zealand was stressed by Mr. T. A. Winks, who proposed the toast. It appeared to him that the present rise in the prices of dairy produce would be maintained, he said. In referring to tariff barriers as an obstacle to prosperity he said he was convinced that there would be no stability of prices until the tariff barriers were lowered. He was pleased to see a move in that direction between Canada and the United States of .America. Mr. Winks referred to the assistance given recently by the Government to farmers, and to the zoning of supplies, which he considered would bring about better conditions. He also commended the licensing of factory managers as a move in the interests of the industry.

The dairy industry was a trust to be handed on by those who passed out of it in better state than that in which they found it for the benefit of the rising generation, said Mr. C. G. Trotter, who rep>lied. They all owed a great debt to the pioneers of co-operation, who had laid the foundations of an industry that had made 'remarkable progress. He had found that the total exports of dairy produce through the port of Patea in 1902 for all\South Taranaki were considerably less than the present day output of the Hawera Dairy Company alojie. It was most important, he said, that quality should be\ maintained to supply a market in which there had been and was likely to bt? an increasing demand. The work of the builder and those who installed the machinery was eulogjsed by Mr. A. E. Death. Replies were made, by Messrs. Arthur, Brown (builder), W. H. Peick (National', Dairy Association) and B. H. Dixon (J. B. Mac Ewan and Company Ltd.). Mrfoßrown paid a tribute to the work of the sub-contractors and the assistance he had received from Messrs. Bowman and Salmon.

The visitors present were welcomed by Mr. W. O. Williams. Messrs. F. Parsons (Whenuakura) and 1 , B. McCarthy (Hawera) replied. \ ‘