Katanning Farmers Cooperative
Katanning Farmers’ Co-operative Company Limited.
Great Southern Herald
15 September 1917 – P2
The first statutory meeting of the shareholders of the above company was held in the Town Hall, Katanning, on Thursday afternoon. The business being to accept the article of the Association, and to appoint Directors.
Mr. A. Prosser, who was voted to the chair, stated that the initial meeting of the company had been held on 26th May last, when five provisional directors had been appointed to draw up articles of Association and form a Company. The provisional directors appointed, had, with Mr. A. Thomson, become joint guarantors for the sum of £250 as a working capital. Finding this sum insufficient, the directors had become surety for a further sum of £250, or £500 in all.
Those shareholders present had a statement of accounts, which had been prepared by their secretary, Mr. J. Nicholls. By this statement it was shown that 257 pigs had been purchased for £690 12/9, of which 165 were still to be disposed of, either in process of treatment or alive. Bacon to the value of £330 had been sold, in addition to £16 worth of bacon still on hand, and £41 5/- for by-products. The estimated profit on every pig was 10/-, which to date had been more than realised.
The secretary, Mr. Nicholls, in answer to a query, stated that the capital of the Company was £5,000, being represented by 5,000 shares at £1. Of these shares, 391 had already been sold to 55 shareholders. The company, at present, was unable to turn out bacon as fast as it was required. As an instance of the quality of bacon being sold, he had a letter from Foy & Gibson of Perth, stating they would give the same price for the Katanning bacon as they had to pay for the imported article, so long as the present standard was maintained.
On a motion of Mr. Jos Ladyman, the number of directors was increased to nine, with the provisional directors having their appointment confirmed. The following directors were appointed: Messrs. A. Prosser, T. Garstone, H. O. Beeck, G. A. Beeck, Jos. Ladyman, R. L. Richardson, E. L. Holly, W. Longmire, sen., and A. Thomson.
Mr. Thomson mentioned that the Minister for Lands had written to him in reference to a site for the factory, and the old Aboriginal Reserve had been suggested. Mr. R. L. Richardson moved that a recommendation come from the shareholders to the directors, that they select a suitable site for the factory, keeping in view the fact that a butter factory was to be added later on.
Mr. W. G. Coote moved that the directors be recommended to open an office for transaction of a general agency business, as soon as it was considered advisable.
Katanning Co-operative Company.
Great Southern Herald
3 October 1917 – P4
To the Editor.
Sir, now that the Katanning Farmers’ Co-operative Co. is registered and the statutory meeting over, we desire that you will favour us with a little space in your columns to set out the work which has been done to date, and the future objects of the permanent board of directors. The fact that the board is composed of the following gentlemen is sufficient evidence that shareholder’s money and best interests will, from every point of view, be conserved: Messrs. Alex. Prosser, T. Garstone, R. L. Richardson, Wm. Longmire, sen., A. Thomson, M.L.A., H. O. Beeck. G. A. Beeck, Jos. Ladyman and E.L. Holly.
Judging from the minutes of the first meeting of directors held on the 22nd inst., it is evident that the board realise that the salvation of the primary producer, and consequently the salvation of W.A. is going to be effected by increasing production. The only way to reach the desired end is by utilising our raw material, and thus prevent the importation of our requirements. Over £2,000,000 was sent to other spheres last year to satisfy our wants, and as our population increases so will our imports unless we wake up.
The directors are now convinced that our small effort in the direction of bacon curing has come to stay and, with the object of establishing a factory on a proper basis, the meeting appointed a committee of three members of the Board to inspect various sites adjacent to Katanning, on which to build a combined bacon and butter factory. The committee are asked to report at the next meeting, to be held on the 5th inst.
In the meantime, the work of curing will go on, and will continue right through the summer. It will, of course, be necessary to cease killing during, hot spells, but double the number will be slaughtered during cool changes so that the present average will be maintained. We are assuming that the necessary pigs will be available.
Strange to say, an entirely wrong impression has reached our producers out east. We are told that reports have been circulated to the effect that we now have pigs booked ahead for months. We do not know who is responsible for this stretch of imagination. The fact that we had to go to Midland market three weeks ago to keep going looks more like local shortage. We hope not, but unless we hear of more later on, we will again have to resort to the metropolitan market in three weeks’ time. Our requirements are approximately 50 pigs per week, and to date we only know of less than 200 local pigs. If this meets the eye of producers in possession of baconers, we shall be glad to hear from them.
We will here state that our definition of a baconer is a pig weighing from 140 to 190 lbs. live weight. We are very desirous to put the best we possibly can on the market, and in consequence, producers must not take exception to our refusing to purchase pigs unfit for immediate killing. At present, we think the farmer should be in a better position to top them up than we are, and we look to them to do so.
To date, not more than 10 per cent of the pigs turned into bacon by our local factory have been in prime condition. Since the factory came into existence, suddenly we expected this, but, we sincerely hope that producers will realise that our success, or failure, will depend upon the raw material provided, as much as upon the curing.
In conclusion, it may interest shareholders, and intending shareholders, to know that our account sales for the month just ended are approximately £350 for bacon alone. If the efforts of the directors are backed up, our account sales this time 12 months hence will reach £3,500 per month. This is a moderate estimate, but the sum distributed monthly throughout our district would materially assist in the development of our vast natural resources.
Yours, etc
W. NICHOLAS,
Secretary.
Katanning,
September 29th, 1917.
Katanning Farmers Cooperative. Katanning Farmers Cooperative. Katanning Farmers Cooperative. Katanning Farmers Cooperative.