RECORD OUTPUT

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21193, 16 August 1940, Page 7

RECORD OUTPUT

75,611 TONS MANUFACTURED “FARMERS DOING THEIR BIT” 24 CHEESE FACTORIES “It is appropriate that in its twenty-first annual report the company should be in a position to announce a record production, the output of all products aggregating the very large total of 75,611 tons, or an increase of 14.58 per cent over last season, this being to a large extent due to the favourable season experienced, particularly during the autumn months,” commented Mr C. J. Parlane, General Manager, in his address to shareholders. “However, this large quantity of dairy products could not have been produced without considerable effort on the part of the suppliers to the company. When we take into account the fact that a considerable number of farm employees enlisted for military service, which in turn must have caused labour difficulties on many farms, the results achieved bear very definite evidence that the farmers, their wives and families, have applied themselves to their jobs in a manner that can leave no doubt as to where they stand in the war effort. Success of Te Awamutu “The company is now operating sixteen butter factories, twenty-four cheese factories, three milkpowder factories and an evaporated milk factory, whilst in addition there are cream receiving stations at a number of centres. In butter manufacture, Te Awamutu Factory had the largest output, with 5377 tons, and in cheese manufacture Matangi Factory had the largest output with 1399 tons. “The cash payment made to suppliers of finest quality butterfat, whose supply was covered by fully-paid shares, was 16.5175 d, excluding .3308 d which w&s the cost of cream cartage, whilst on the same basis the average payment over all grades was 16.3977 d per pound butterfat. The payments at the company’s cheese factories varied according to local conditions, the average, excluding town milk sales, being 18.5929 d. The deferred payment made to suppliers to the various factories on July 31 last amounted to £1,170,636. Manufacturing Costs Lower “Due to overseas prices ranging at a higher level than in previous years a very satisfactory return has been made to the suppliers to the company’s milkpowder and evaporated milk factories. Full information in this regard has been given to these suppliers at the annual meetings of their respective groups. “We are fortunate in being able to announce a decrease in the cost of manufacture, volume in production being the main factor in achieving this satisfactory result although we

were also assisted in tnis regard by the fact that we had on hand large stocks of requisites purchased at prices substantially lower than those ruling subsequently.”