£15,417 DISTRIBUTED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 186, 7 August 1936, Page 9

£15,417 DISTRIBUTED

WANGAEHU DAIRY CO. SHAREHOLDERS’ ANNUAL MEETING. INCREASE IN PRODUCTION. An output of 736 tons of butter during me year, an increase oi 31 tons un last years production, was reported at tne annual meeting oi shareholders oi tne wangaenu Cooperative Dairy Company yesterday, laocal sa±es were lOu tons, export sales 233 tons and 383 tons were consigned. The chairman of directors, Mr. F. Johnston, presided over a large attendance oi suppliers and snareholders. In adopting the annual report and balance-sAeet the meeting approved the payment oi a final advance of 22d a pound, involving the. distribution of £15,417. This made the total average payment for butter-fat for the year Is U.658d a pound. In reviewing the past year, the chairman said that local sales had fallen off due to a rising market. A new 2000-gallon vat was installed during the year and this had resulted in a more uniform grading of the cream. Mr. Johnston said that the turnover of £8U,208 was a record for the company and was done on a capital of £4736. This showed one thinggood budgeting. The company had • always been well up among the leading factories. He said that it was possible that there might be a further bonus—a small one. If the price on the London market was maintained, and it looked as if it would be, it would probably be possible to pay a further bonus of 3d in the pound, which would bring the total average payment for the year up to approximately Is Id. In reply to a question, Mr. Johnston said that if the wages of its factory hands were increased then consideration would be given to the question of abolishing some of the perquisites they were in receipt of now. The Government would fix what was considered a good wage and it would not be necessary to give the employees any concessions. (Applause.) Messrs. R. J. Castles and D. Henderson were re-elected directors and Mr. F. Pritchard was elected to replace Mr. H. I. N. Melville, who did not seek re-election. DRAMA LEAGUE WANGANUI FESTIVAL OVER THE PLACED PRODUCTIONS A packed theatre fittingly celebrated the curtain fall on the Drama League Festival, which has been promoted in Wanganui during the past few days. Miss Elizabeth Blake, the adjudicator, which characteristic comment and gesture, which has become so appealing to Wanganui audiences, announced her awards, giving very definite reasons for so doing. The three placed plays were:— “Heaven on Earth” (by Philip Johnson)’, presented by the Wanganui Repertory Society (cast: “Laura Hubbard,” Elsie Betts-Vincent; ‘‘Jill Hubbard.” Nancy Hales; “Adrian Illidge,” Dewar McCormack; “Ellen,” a maid, Eileen Warnock; “Ernest Hubbard,” Roland Young) 1 “Shivering Shocks” (by Clemance Dane), presented by the Wanganui Intermediate School (cast: “Captain Dallas, V.C., D. 5.0., P. Davies; “Kysh,” his servant, J. Keesing; “Granville Hughes,” an inventor, K. Sole; “Dawson,” the shepherd, D. Grant; “Crooks,” T. Blennerhassett; “Inspector James Pollock,” H. Jones) 2 “The Reckoning” (by B. R. O’Brien), presented by the Wanganui Repertory Society (cast: “Ainsworth,” Jim Broad; “Bramwell,” W. Hastings; “Mrs Martin,” Z. King; “Kramer,” Eric Lind; “Miss White,” Joan Chaldecott; “Hunter,” C. S. Brown) 3 Miss Blake said that there were three or four other plays very close to that placed third. She did not announce the marks, but these were made available to the players. The winning play will compete at Palmerston North in the process of elimination. If it can survive there against the pick of the Island it will proceed to the New Zealand championship festival in the South Island. Miss Blake described the winning play as one in which the players caught the change of tempo pleasingly, showed punch, and made the most of the real humour of the work. She added, however, i that the art of holding the picture to allow for Johnson's close spacing of laughs required attention. In reference to the play placed second, Miss Blake had a special word of commendation for the boys of the Intermediate School. They had played with marked intelligence a play which had been specially written for boys. Mr Orren Hales, president of the Wanganui Area of the British Drama League, at the curtain fall, thanked Miss Blake for her able criticisms and for her work as a judge. He also spoke in complimentary terms of the work of Mr Paul Latham as stage director. Mr Ron Doig as electrician, and Mr Eric Lind as secretary.