Dairying Leader

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19452, 17 December 1934, Page 9

Dairying Leader

DEATH OF MR FULTON GREAT BLOW TO INDUSTRY OUTSTANDING SERVICES. AN INDEFATIGABLE WORKER. By me death at his home in Norton Road, Frank ton, yesterday, of Mr Dynes Fulton, the dairy industry of f»e\v Zealand lias been struck a blow, the effects of which will be far-reaching and incalculable. Mr Fulton was the best known and most 'popular flguie in • the country’s leading primary industry, and his untimely demise will be deplored throughout the Dominion. As a farmer, dairy administrator and ambassador, and the chairman of the • world’s largest dairy company,' Mr Fulton possessed a reoord of service in the interests of the Industry second to none in the country. He was 59 years of age. . ■Mr Fulton spent his boyhood in the .pukekohe and Puni districts, of which his parents, Mr and Mrs James Ful- • ton, were pioneer settlers. He was born in Pukekohe in 1875. Here he gained an early taste for dairy farming, and as a young man lie worked,on various farms in Taranaki, later taking up bushfelling contracts in different parts of that province. Later Mr Fulton joined in conducting a dairy farm at Waitara with ills brother, Mill, Fulton. It was about this Time that Mr Fulton became widely known as an all-round sportsman. He won many trophies ut amateur wrestling, and also played Rugby football, representing Taranaki between 1900 and 1914. He was a member of the Waitara Rowing Club, and never lost his Interest in these pastimes.

Public Life In Tuakau.

Some 30 years ago saw Mr Fulton running a farm at Onewhero, where he gained hl3 first experience in the administrative side of dairying as a director of the old Onewhero Co-op-erativo Dairy Co. At the same time he took a lively interest in public affairs in the district. He founded the , Tuakau Town Board in 1914 and was its first chairman until 1922. He was also a member of the Franklin County Council in 1912, and the Pukekohe East Road Board In 1910. Playing in the front row, Mr Fulton represented Franklin in Rugby football and Interested himself in many other sports bodies in the neighbourhood. Nineteen years ago the late Mr Fulton joined the directorate of the Waikato Co-operative Dairy Company, where he first became assopiated with Mr W. Goodfellow: When the company amalgamated with the New Zealand Dairy Association in 1919 and the

concern became the New Zealand. &)■* operative Dairy Company,- r Ltd. I ,' Mr Fulton was appointed to the directorate and succeeded Mr W. Claude Motibn. as chairman in >1924 when Mr Motion left for England. Mr Fulton had guided the destinies of the huge enterprise in that capacity ever since.

In 1924 Mr Fulton was appointed to the Dairy Produoe Control Board, representing his dairy company, and in recent years had frequently acted as chairman of the board during the absence of Mr W. A. lorns. For some time Mr Fulton had been deputyQhairman of the board and his responsibilities and duties over the last few years had been very extensive. Work for Herd Tasting. Herd testing owes a very large percentage of its phenomenal growth and progress over the last ten years to Mr Fulton, who was one of the first dairy leaders to appreciate fully the enormous value of the application of scientific principles to farming. Ho visualised the great improvement of quality which must follow the systematic culling and recording of herds and was president of the New Zealand Co-operative Herd Testing Association practically from its inception, in the 1923-24 season.

When associations of a similar kind developed throughout the country and the need for centralisation was indicated, the Dominion Group Herd Testing Federation was formed in 1926, Mr' Fulton becoming its first president. He was unanimously appointed chairman of the Central Executive. ‘ which was established in 1929 and virtually controls the policy of herd testing throughout the Dominion. Owing to extreme pressure of work in connection with his duties for the Dairy Board and his' own company, Mr Fulton resigned all positions with the herd testing organisations In 1933. At- that time presentations were made and glowing tributes paid to him for his outstanding labours. _Jk\, ail limes during, his administrawork for the dairy industry Mr Fulton had been a staunch supporter ■of co-operation in its widest sense, and had striven hard to. consolidate warring factions Info, a united whole. He championed the interests of farmers at every opportunity, and In recent, years had been represented on dozens of deputations to Cabinet or Individual Ministers where the Improvement of conditions was sought. During the control controversy some seven years ago lie took a prominent part in the movement for improving tho marketing of produce, and never wavered in his opinions in this respect. Though outspoken, frank and fearless in his views. Mr Fulton never went out of ids way to antagonise those with whom lie differed, and was the first to show respect and consideration to an opponent. His transparent- honesty and sincerity of purpose won him the absolute confidence and admiration of the farming community and. indeed, of all with whom lie came into contact. Ilis popularity extended to every walk of life.

Inexhaustible Energy. Another outstanding quality of the man was his inexhaustible energy and power or concentration. It was this trait which resulted in Ids working late into Hie night, many nights in succession, and in taking long journevs by car and train at a moment’s noilee ‘actions which invariably were not oidv in the interests of Ids own company but of Hie dairying. industry generallv. It was undoubtedly lids strong sense of duty and unswerving devotion 10 his work which hastened his denlh. Work, slremious work. % vns meat and drink to him. and throughout ids long record of service to the farming community thoughts of self and personal welfare and advancement never occurred to him. "yfr chairman at many meetings, bolth of directors and shareholders of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy

Company and of other gatherings of producers, Mr Fulton was ever firm but courteous, and preserved a strict policy of impartiality and utmost fair- ■ ness. Ilis absence from future : meetings will be the absence of a guide, philosopher and friend of the ■ farmers, an irreparable loss' which will be keenly felt by thousands of I agriculturists not only in the Aucki land province but wherever his kindly 1 presence and rugged personality, had .projected itself. The genuine tribj ute of affection and esteem which would he paid to-day to Dynes Fulion by every member of the staff of j the New Zealand Dairy Company, i from general manager to office boy, is j probably the most striking epitaph he. could have had.

During the last year or two, with the accentuation of the dairying crisis, Mr Fulton’s duties had become increasingly onerous. Early this year Mr Fulton, with the concurrence of his co-directors, visited the United Kingdom to make investigations Into marketing and kindred problems affecting New Zealand dairy produce.on behalf of his company. Last July he returned to New Zealand in possession of much valuable information, which proved of great assistance not only to his company hut also to the Dairy Board and the Government. Other Activities. In 1930 Mr Fulton was elected chairman of directors of the Finance Corporation of New Zealand, Ltd., an organisation designed to provide dairy farmers with financial accommodation, and he was chairman at the time of Ills death. Mr Fulton was also a director of the New Zealand Co-operative Rennet Company, Taranaki, a director of the National Dairy Association, a director, of the Challenge Phosphate Company, and -i director of Amalgamated Dairies Ltd. and Empire Dairies. For several alternate years lie was chairman of Empire Dairies and had been chairman of Amalgamated Dairies. Mr Fulton was also a director and former chairman of Glen Alton Collieries, Ltd., a subsidiary of the New Zealand Co-opera-tive Dairy Company. Served in Boer WAr. na ntti.mr He had been president of the Franklin Racing Club since 1923 and was a member of the Waikato Racing and Trotting Clubs and other turf bodies. Mr Fulton was also permanent chairman of the Madill Recreation Ground Trustees, Tuakau, and had been a member of the Licensing Committees of Franklin and Raglan. He was made a Justice of the Peace In 1910. lie was also a member of the iFranklon Bowling Club. ! As a corporal in the Third Contingent Mr Fulton served in the Boer War and was awarded the Queen’s Medal with five bars. ' The late Mr Fulton is survived by bis wife, who was formerly Miss Elizabeth Roseman, of Auckland, and whom' he married in 1903, and four sons, who' are farming in the Pukekawa and Tuakau districts. They are Messrs David, Dynes, William and Norman Fulton. To them, Mrs Fulton, and other relatives widespread and deep sympathy will be extended on ail sides.

MR. GOODFELLOW’S TRIBUTE. DEATH A GREAT CALAMITY. STALWART OF THE INDUSTRY. AUCKLAND, . Monday. Mr. W. Goodfeilow, who was for many years managing director of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, said Mr. Dynes Fulton's death was a great calamity for the dairy industry of the Dominion. Mr. Goodfeilow said that Mr. Fulton’s kindly nature and sound advice would be greatly missed, not only byids eo-direc'tors, but also by ,lhe many thousands of dairy farmers supplying Hie company. Mr. Fulton was always loyal to Ids fellow farmers and was a great lighter for them, especially when a matter of principle was -involved. The dairy farmers of the Dominion, and particularly those in the Waikato, owed a great debt of gratitude to ldm for bis long and loyal service.

Mr. Fulton, continued Mr. Goodfellow, was a very strong man in every way, and yet he was very simple in habit and unassuming in his manner. One of ids great traits was his transparent honesty of purpose, coupled with ability and remarkable energy. No man could have worked harder for any cause, and few had worked to better purpose.

Mr. Ful I on, concluded Mr. Goodfellow, would be long remembered as one of Hie stalwarts of co-opera-tion, and as a founder of die dairy industry.

CLERGYMAN’S TRIBUTE.

LOYALTY TO* DUTY. THOUGHTFULNESS FOR OTHERS. In ids address to the. congregation of First Presbyterian Church, Frankton. last evening, the Rev. S. J. Atkins made touching reference to the death of Mr Dynes Fulton yesterday, and paid a great tribute to the loyally of deceased to Ids task. The death of Mr Fulton would be a great loss to I lie Waikato, and in a wider sense to the Dominion. In early life deceased had not (lie opportunities of the young people of to-day, hut he was a worker of indomitable courage, and personal-

ity for leadership. His voice was one of direction and inspiration, and throughout New Zealand he was admired for the way in which he grappled with the problems of to-day. 1-Ie died for his cause, for deceased once remarked ’That he would prefer to die in harness." That desire was fulfilled much earlier than ever he or his friends contemplated, for in the execution of his task recently in the Squth Island he contracted a severe illness. ■ The strain of intense activity told upon him and he was forced to return home, and up till Friday , there was hope of his recovery. During the night he took a change for the worse and gradually sank, passing away yesterday afternoon. He left a true example of loyalty to duty, thinking, not of himself, but always of others.

WAIPA COUNCIL’S SYMPATHY. RECORD OF GREAT SERVICE. 'POSITION HARD'TO 'FILL. (By Telegraph—Special to Times.) TE AWAMUTU, Monday. “It is with 'the greatest regret that we ; I earn of the death of Mr Dynes Fulton, a .man with a record of great service to 'the community in general and the 'farmers In particular. Ills position will be very hard to fill,” said Mir S. G. Macky, chairman of t(he Waipa County Council, at a meeting ■to-day. The council passed -a motion -of condolence with the relatives of the deceased-

FUNERAL CORTEGE.

JOURNEY' TO PUKEKOIIE. The* funeral of the late Mr Dynes Fulton will be held to-morrow, the cortege leaving the residence in Norton Road, Frankton Junction, at 11 a.m. It will then pass by way of London Street past the offices of the New Zealand Co-opera-tive Dairy'Company, Limited, continuing via the Great South Road lo Tuakau. The procession will pass through Tuakau, past the Franklin Racing Club's course (of which club Mr Fulton was president) and via King Street, Pukekohc, to the cemetery. The bead office of the company will be closed to-morrow, and tiie company’s factories will observe a period of 15 minutes’ silence from 11 a.m-

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN. mr r. ii. mckenzie acts. As deputy-chairman of the New Zealandi Co-opcrnlive Dairy Company, Ltd., Mr R. H. McKenzie, of Maungatautarl Valley, Pokeno, will succeed Hie late Mr Dynes Fulton as chairman of tiie board until a new chairman is appointed by the directors at their next ordinary meeting. Mr McKenzie lias been a director of Hie former New Zealand Dairy Association and subsequently of Hie New Zealand Dairy Company continuously for 20 years. He now represents the Northern Ward, lie is also the company’s representative on tiie board of the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company, Lid.

Mr McKenzie lias a notable record as a sportsman, and was a member of the All Black Rugby team which loured Australia in 1893. He has represented Auckland and Taranaki in Rugby.