DRIED MILK.

Waipa Post, Volume XII, Issue 943, 18 May 1920, Page 5

DRIED MILK.

REMARKS BY MR UOODEELLOW.

AT THE RECENT MEETING

At a meeting of dairy farmers concerned in the erection of a dried milk factory at Te Awamutu, held in the local Town Hall last Friday evening, Mr W. Goodfellow, managing director of Zealandia Milkfoods, Limited, was in attendance, and during the course of the meeting interestingly reviewed the negotiations leading to the present determination to erect a factory, and gave also a few summarised figures relating to the company and the industry generally. The chairman (Mr J. T. Johnson) of the meeting introduced Mr Goodfellow, and stated that he would outline the reasons for the change in plan for the Te Awamutu dried milk factory. Reviewing the position, Mr Goodfellow spoke 1 of the tour of America that had been undertaken by dairy company representatives, and told how the spray process was chosen. New Zealand rights were obtained from companies in California. The New Zealand company now had the right to export the powder to any part of the world. Contracts had been let for the erection of a factory at Waharoa. This factory would be capable of dealing with the supply of 5000 cows. The first factory was now complete, and milk would be passed through it next week. Various details of his search for processes were supplied by Mr Goodfellow. The scheme for the whole Waikato—the central factory and condensories—was abandoned for the scheme of erecting factories at all centres chosen. The Te Awamutu factory would be commenced shortly. The lowest tender for building the Te Awamutu factory was £23,415, exclusive of the plant, and thus it was decided to limit the factory a two-unit one, capable of handling 4000 cows. The cost of this would be approximately £40,000. This had been arrived at after very careful consideration of the problem. The details of the estimated cost are: Residence building, £1500; boiler, £5521; engine-room, £3576; workshop, £135; packing room, £250; receiving station, £4068; upper floor, £5700; siding, £1000; and miscellaneous, £3325; making a total of approximately £40,000. Dealing with the prospects of dried milk, Mr Goodfellow referred to Mr Dempster's report. This report was an excellent and true one. It showed that there would be a field for dried milk. There was every indication of a big market being opened at Home. Regarding price, Mr Goodfellow said that £l6O a ton was the price for English (Truefoods) powder. In conclusion the speaker stated' that the dried milk business was a vast one. It would mean expenditure, but the prospects ahead were good. Dried milk and butter were good propositions for the dairy farmer. "I may say," Mr Goodfellow, "that the yarn about butter at 3s a pound is a canard,",and quite untrue. We may get 2s 4d—at least 2s—a pound under controlled prices." Farmers, he added, did not want to sell; they wished to consign their butter. (Hear! hear!) The Imperial Government stated that no private firm at Home would be allowed to sell butter on private account. The cables, however, indicated that there might be a hope of a free market. The coalfield owned by the company extended over 1000 acres, and the coal would be enough for a century.