WAIHI.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144151, 22 July 1913, Page 8

WAIHI.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) July 10. —The sixteenth annual met' ing of the North Taranaki Co-operative Dairy Company was held in the lirerun Town It all on Friday last, when there was a largo number of suppliers present. The following report was placed before the shareholders, which shows that the company is in a highly prosperous condition. With the prospects in sight of a still greater supply ot milk and homo separated cream the directors hope to still further improve their business. . , T .. ~ The report said: —In presenting tho sixteenth annual report and balancesheet, your directors are pleased to bo ar'ain in a nosition to say that a. very decided advance has been made by the company. The figures given below will show tho increase over tho previous year, and when tho fact is taken into consideration that in 11106 only 381 tons of butter were manufactured, for whica suppliers received £2602 13s Id, it will rive a better idea of the advance made. Reports from Homo on the quality of our product have again been very satisfactory. The price realised was perhaps amongst the very best for the year. Homo separation has added considerably to the increase, and this will grow to perhaps double tho present supply for the coming year. Additional supply from present shareholders is quite anticipated, and wc have every reason to believe now ones will also join tho company. As is to bo expected with such increased, supplies, considerable largo additions and alterations will have to bo made during the coming season to moot tho demand. A casein plant has been added during tho year, and your directors have every hope it will ha successful and considerably augment suppliers’ payments. The balance duo to suppliers, "£2723 2s 2d. will allow of a further payment of l£d, making a total for the season of 12id, an amount very much in advance of any previous payment. Tnu following is the comparison with last season (tho 1912 figures being in parentheses), but it must be taken into account that there was only a neriod of ten months for 1913 as against tho full season for 1012:—Milk, 8,900,2831 b. (7,710.3651 b.) increase 1,189,9181 b; butter-fat, 402,2SOlb. (312,5361 b.) —increase 89,744,1 b.; butter. 474.'6U01b. (373,4871b.)—increase 101.1131 b.; advances, £18,851,5s 2d (£13,502 15s 2d) —increase £5348 10s; bonus, £2723 2s 2d (£2104 1 / s 9d) — increase £6lB 4s sd. The average test was 4.084, and the overrun 17J percent. Tho retiring directors arc Messrs. A. Smith (who is eligible for rc-eleotion) and W. Old. Mr. .Poceival again offers his services ns auditor. , Some few years ago this concern was on tho verge of starvation. Want of . supplies, financial difficulties, and general stagnation caused the directors many an anxious hour as to whether the company could hold together or not. It was only by'the grit and determination of th’ese men and by their individual financial aid that it was kept going. I have been assured that the chairman, Mr. S. Elliot, more than once forwarded'his own. cheque to tho bank so that on pay-day those of tho suppliers might- bo honoured. These days are gone, fortunately, and now suppliers presenting their £IOO or moro bonus cheques are mot by the smiling face of tho bank manager. Passing from things mundane and tho sordid touch of gold, with its fitful elusivoness, or delusiveness, and. tho eternal gospel (in practice) of work, work, work on.tho farm, we are,pleased to seo that some of the poopfo.at times indulge in a litilo pastime. Euchre par-ties arc held in the schoolropm at frequent intervals, and these are sandwiched in by occasional impromptu social concerts. - Being, as usual, hard up for funds, and having no ono on tire committee who cares about the job of going Homo to London to negotiate a loan, in the present financial stringency of the money market,;as an alternative tho school committee decided to hold a concert on Friday night to supplement tho funds which they haven’t got. There was a crowded house—overcrowded, in fact—when a good programme was put before tho audience:—Overture, Miss Bimu’gh; song, Mr. Harris, “The Village Blacksmith” ; song, Mr. Bryant. “Queen of the Earth”; song, Mr. Day, “For Jacks’ Como Homo Today” (encore, “A Perfect Day’ ); duct, Mr and Mrs. Dunlop. “The Crooket Bawbeo” (encore, '"Vo Banks and Braes”); song, Mr. Davidson, “Colleen Bawn”; song, Mr. 6. Wray, “Queen of Angels”; rccitatiou, Mr. W. Joll, •‘A Bush Christening” (encoro, “Tho Gotiugent Barber”); song, Mr. Harris, “The Midshipmite” (encore, “Neptune”); character sketch,'Mr. Dunlop, “The Mistakes of a Country J.rV'; comic song, Mr. Langman, “Hag Time” (encored); song, Mr. Bryant, “Long Live tho King’'; comic song, Mr. Laugman (encored). • Tho chairman, Mr. Purdio, on behalf of the committee, thankeil tho performers for their kind assistance and the people for thoir attendance, after winch ‘-‘God Save, the King” was sung, a good supper (kindly supplied by-the ladies) handed round, and then the inevitable danco followed. Mrs. Harris and Miss Arnold (Now Plymouth) played the accompaniments for the singers, and Messrs. G. Wray and W. Cole supplied the music for tho dance. With thb subsidy from the board, tho committee's funds will bo augmented to the extent oh about £lO. On Arbor Day about twenty children turned up to the school, and under the supervision of Mr. Bullions and Miss Rogers planted some SCO elcagnns plants. Eileen Ovendon brought along some flowers for tho children’s garden. After tho exhausting work was finished the children-were treated to a loilio scramble by tho generosity of Mrs. Bahians. Tho huntsmen, too, come round every other week, sporting thoir flaring colours to tho admiration of sundry ladies and- to the astonishment of old Duchess, tho cow. The farmhorso imbued with tho hunting spirit of its more favoured brother prancing along under the s-c-arlot coat, snorts in indignation that -ho is not included in the programme. Instituting an imaginary hunt on his own, ho careers several times round the paddock, when, bang! ho discards all rules of. hunting—just like some of tho others—and topples over a fence. .Some of the huntsmen, fortunately very much in the minority, have rather a perverted idea of the ethics of hunting. I hoard a good story of one novice, whoso horse, possibly with a good deal of sense, refused to take the top wire, when, dismounting, ho of the rod started to belabour tho obstacle with a rail to burst tho staples. It is sij/frular how crotchety some farmers can be on occasion. The owner of tho fence actually came along and stopped him I His language is not reported. On tho whole, most of the huntsmen’s horses aro good fencers, so that not much damage is done, ’except by the “ragtag and . bobtail” of tho army—rtho rear division. Tho club sends a man to patch up these friendly apertures next day, so that is something to bo thankful for. Church services still continue to prosper at AVaihi. The Presbyterian Church has managed to work iin a nico little connection, and has weir-attended services every fortnight. Interesting and instructive sermons are preached by Mr. Dunlop, and to augment tho sing-

ing it is proposed, if possible, to work up ?. children’s choir. Tho Rev. Mr. Harrison, of tho Anglican Church, held his usual quarterly service on Sunday week last, when there was a good attendance. Several infant first-attondcrs were presented for baptism. It was thought at one time to discontinue these services, but I understand the Vicar, pleased with the attendance, has decided to continue them. In a short timo milking will ho in full swing. Tho cows in most instances are still on turnips and looking very well. Tho weather, with tho exception of a few record cold days, has been very gcod, making it easier for stock to stand any shortage of feed. Several farmers in North Taranaki aro putting in milking plants this season. Before long amongst big milkers hand milking will be a thing of the past. Labour is hard to get, and just as hard to Keep when got, .hut tho machine simplifies nil that, besides—ahem! —adding dignity to tho profession—a- dignity to which we ail, big and little, aspire.