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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

The Dairy Industry

The Dairy Industry.

Taieri And Peninsula Milk Supply Company Of Dunedin, Ltd. Directors: Messrs. A. McFarlane (chairman), A. Stuart, R. Roger, W. Nicholson, and J. Wright, Head office and Principal Factory, Great King Street, Dunedin. Bankers: National Bank of New Zealand. Butter Factories: Dunedin and Mosgiel, Creameries: There are forty of these; namely, Sundymount, Purakanui, Portobello, Wickliffe Bay, Brighton, Outram, Allanton, Hampden, Middlemarsh, Gladfield, Otakou, and others. Factory Manager, Mr. Walter Riddell. Business Manager, Mr. William James Bolt. Both Mr. Riddell and Mr. Bolt sat on the board of directors prior to their appointments at a critical period of the company's history. This large and prosperous co-operative company was established on the 15th of August, 1884, for the purpose of supplying Dunedin city with pure milk. There is a central depôt, to which the milk is sent direct from the farms, and whence it is distributed to consumers. This branch of the business has not been neglected, notwithstanding the great developments in batter making. Monthly payments are made to shareholders, who number about 450, and also to non-shareholders who are suppliers, numbering about seventy, in proportion to the returns received after deducting expenses, an advantage being gained by shareholders. Twelve distributing carts are employed daily to dispose of the milk in the city and suburbs. The capital of the company is £40,000 in 40 000 shares of £1 each, of which fifteen shillings per share has been called up. Since the introduction of separators, and the application of freezing to the various processes necessary for the production of good butter of uniform grade and flavour, the business of the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Company has enormously increased, as is abundantly shewn by the returns which gave a turn-over of £5,494 in 1885, against £56,466 in 1897, and £194,658 15s. 1d. in 1902: of this last sum £175,612 13s. 5d. was paid to farmers for milk. The factory at Great King Street comprises a brick building with frontage of two-stories, erected on the company's freehold and having 132 feet to the main street. The company's offices and board room, which are finished in stained woods, occupy a position at the front; and there are residences for both the managers on the premises. The plant consists of two Hercules dry ammonia refrigerators (of a total of thirty tons), a steam engine with two forty-horse power boilers, and all the latest up-to-date appliances for producing the very best butter. The Great King Street building has been enlarged to twice the original size by the erection of a splendid factory, the cost of which, together with plant, was about £8,500; the total value of the company's property in Dunedin being £20,000. All the creameries are supplied with the De Laval A1 Alpha separator. It is a notable fact that during the year 1897, 2,350,684 gallons of milk were received, which, on test for value in butter fats, resulted in 2,393,347 gallons or 42,663 gallons more than the actual quantity received, suppliers getting this advantage under the system of purchase. During the same period 421 tons of butter were manufactured, of which 160 tons were shipped to England, Australia, and Africa, the rest being sold locally. In 1902 the milk purchased amounted to 6,715,934 gallons, which, at a 3£8 test, amounted to 7,128,199 gallons, which farmers were paid for. The butter made in the year 1902 amounted to 1404 tons. At the back of the section in Great King Street, the company's stables are situated; these are 132 feet long and contain twenty-two stalls, a like number of horses being required in the business. About sixty persons altogether are employed in the distribution of milk, and at the butter factories and creameries.

Mr. Walter Riddell , Manager for the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Company, was born in Dumfries-shire, Scotland, in 1837, and was educated at the parish school. He came to Dunedin by the ship “Grass-mere” in 1862, and two years later bought 1 md on the Peninsula, which he used for dairy farming. He was connected with the first
Mount Pembroke, Milford Sound.

Mount Pembroke, Milford Sound.

Mr. W. Riddell.

Mr. W. Riddell.

page 301 co-operative dairy factory in New Zealand—the Pioneer Cheese Factory, of which he was secretary for many years. He conducted experiments with samples of butter, specially packed so as to carry all the way to London and back without deterioration. Mr. Riddell was appointed manager of the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Company in 1891. The system of purchasing milk by the value of butter fats contained—the skim milk being returned—was introduced by him in 1893. For about twenty-five years he has taken an interest in educational matters as a member of the Peninsula school committee.
Mr. William James Bolt , Secretary and Business Manager of the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Company, was born in Bristol, Gloucester, England, in 1835. He was educated at the Bristol grammar school, but went to sea as a youth, and had nine years' experience of a sailor's life. Mr. Bolt visited the Colonies in 1857, left the sea in 1861, and settled in Dunedin three years later, acquiring a dairy farm a few miles north of Dunedin, which he worked until 1892, when he was appointed to his present position. Whilst he was farming he was a member of the Waikouaiti county council for nine years, for two of which he
Mr. W. J. Bolt.

Mr. W. J. Bolt.

was chairman of that body. During his long residence in Otago he took great interest in local affairs, until the business of the company demanded his undivided attention.