1915 - 1916

At the end of season 1915-16 a change of managers took place, Mr. F. A. Newitt resigned after eleven years of good service, to carry on dairying on the Brynderwyn homestead farm.  He was succeeded by Mr. C. Cameron, who held office for one season.

The Directors were now to receive an honorarium of £5 a year - no doubt this was but a token payment for much work and worry.

The North Kaipara Co-operative Dairy Coy. was now prepared to consider amalgamating with Maungaturoto; a joint committee of the two companies was set up for the purpose of making an agreement.

Finally it was agreed that the Maungaturoto Company would take over the supply of the North Kaipara District, also its buildings and plant, compensation at £1,200 being agreed upon.

Roads were still too bad for long haulage, but the motor launch had become a reliable means of transport.  A contract was made with W. Gray to carry the cream supply from Matakohe Wharf to the factory landing.  Later, the reliable Harold Morgan did this work.

There were tidal difficulties in reaching the head of the river, but the Directors, enterprising always, improved the timetable by becoming railroaders.  True the motive power was only "friend Horse," but the half mile tramway to deeper water did good service until road betterment made road transport preferable to the tidal river delivery.

Thus the Company gained many more members and a substantial increase of output.  The final incident of this transaction was the moving of the Whakapirau Manager's house to Maungaturoto by barge, its final lap by bullock team - not the last time that bullocks were used by the Company.

1916

On August 24, 1916, Mr. Henry Cullen, one of the grand old men of the industry, resigned from the Directorate, having disposed of most of his property.

Thus ended fifteen years of service, a pilotage from the infancy of the Company, through many difficult years, to a stage of substantial development.  Mr. Fred Cullen, worthy son of this old pioneer, succeeded to the Chairmanship and held this position for twenty-one years.

1916 - 1917

Another change of managers is recorded.  Mr J. Campbell was appointed to the position and carried on for sixteen years.

In all of its fifty years of life, the Company had only six managers and four secretaries which, perhaps, constitutes a record.  Modesty forbids one of them suggesting this was due to the excellence of its officers and to express the opinion that the Company has been a considerate and good employer.

The factory became too small and a considerable extension to the original building was made at this time.

1917 - 1918

Another Grand Old Man of the industry, Secretary W. J. Bailey elected to retire at this stage.  He carried on the Company's business since its promotion and, as has already been stated, his personal popularity and genial diplomacy have been of much value for seventeen years and specially during the critical early years.

His first office, in the first factory, was only eight by ten feet, but now the new secretary Mr. J. Grant, has a brand new office and a salary of £200 a year - also, we note, the newly acquired typewriter.

Now the Chairman was voted an honorarium of £50 a year and the Directors ten shillings per meeting or equivalent service.

1919 - 1920

The pay-out for the season was 1/7 per pound.  For four years of the First World War the exportable dairy price was purchased by the Imperial Government at high prices.  In the 1919-20 season, the pay-out reached the record height of 2/6½.

For a few years therefore, the Directors were relieved of the yearly gamble of butter disposal.

Mr A. B. Cox now took up the important duties of Company Secretary - he proved a great success and continued in office for the record period of thirty-one years.

1920 - 1921

The company now acquired its first motor truck - a Clydesdale solid tyre.  This dates some improvement of the roads.

We read that the Company financed a supplier with £130 for a milking machine - we understand they had become almost universal by about this time.

1921 - 1922

The butter selling problem had now returned and the season's output was consigned to the London market.

Mr R. J. Howard passed away this year.  One of the first Directors, he was a staunch supporter of the Company, carrying on dairying for twenty years and office for sixteen in spite of poor health.

1922 - 1923

The County Council now complains of the "heavy traffic of the Company's Clydesdale truck!" Notwithstanding, the Directors proceeded to equip a Garage and Repair Shop.

1925 - 1926

On 5th October, the Company posted notices in its zone, calling for volunteers to man ships proceeding overseas with dairy produce - the records do not state how many responded.

On 1st September, 1926, the Dairy Produce Control Board took over the marketing of dairy exports, and carried on this service for four years.  Afterwards, the disposal reverted to each producing company.

 The Marketing Department now had a kerbside petrol pump and tanks.  The Herd Tester was provided with a five-seater Ford car for his rounds, which included Waipu.

1926

For reasons not disclosed in the minute book, the butter brand was changed to "Otamatea," a little shorter than the settlement name, but, we fear, still a difficult mouthful for Tooley Street.

The bank overdraft was £3,032.  The Company acquired 100 shares in the North Auckland Lime Co.

Firewood fuel was now replaced by coal; actually, the nearby stands of ti-tree had been changed to pasture land.  In 1905, firewood was only 19/11 per cord, delivered, and this date it has risen to 32/6.

1927 - 1928

Chairman Fred Cullen set out the fundamental principles of the Company as follows:

• Co-operative Marketing
• Co-operative Buying

A deputation of Directors reported to the Board favourably on the Empire Dairies scheme for marketing:

"It would ultimately result in a benefit to the industry as a whole."

The bank overdraft was reported to be £6,51, but there is no record of the Directors being alarmed. In 1902, the Company functioned on a loan of £2000, but this is was now an era of big business.

1929 - 1930

Still the bad road difficulty and the Brynderwyn road was reported to be in bad order.  The Country Council wrote stating that tenders had been called for repairs, but none had been received.  Chairman Fred Cullen said "he would see if something could be done, even if he had to do it himself."

The buttermaker was on the carpet - several churnings had been rejected, being over 16% moisture.  When he explained that he endeavoured to keep the moisture content up to the legal standard, he was exonerated and commended.

This incident demonstrated a radical change of opinion, as in the earlier years all authorities advocated "dry" butter, which meant 8 to 12% moisture, in the belief that only dry butter would withstand prolonged cold storage.

A neighbouring company was reported to be encroaching on the agreed zone of supply, the ethics of co-operations no yet fully observed.

In August of 1930, the Hakaru Co-operative Dairy Co. submitted a scheme for the purchase of fully paid-up shares in the Hakaru Company at 15/- each.  After many conferences, the Hakaru Company elected to join in with the North Albertland Company.  Most of the Kaiwaka suppliers, however, elected to join with Maungaturoto.

Again, the hardy perennial "factory to be a central place" made its appearance, to be turned down on the factor of water supply.

Wages were now regulated by Arbitration Court direction.

Again progressive, the Company added an 88 b.h.p. Crossley Crude Oil Engine, a churn of 100 box capacity, a Murray Deodoriser, to the plant.

The minutes of 23rd July, 1930 set out a report that the Board Room was "dark and dismal," requiring improvement. It is strange that such prison-like surroundings had not discouraged the foregoing decisions.

The Bobby Calf Pool was now furnishing a useful service.

Reversing the long time order of complaint, the County Council states that the Company's Reo truck was damaging the Hukatere Road.  Actually its was not until 1936 that all roads became "all weather" roads.

On 5th January, 1931, the Maoris of Hukatere appealed to the Company to "purchase foodstuffs for them in the way of sugar and tea, the local storekeepers not doing so."  The Directors astutely sidestepped the request by referring it to the Native Land Board.

7th April 1931.  The following appears in the minute book:

"Mr. Finlayson made eulogistic reference to the name of the late Mr. Henry Cullen, one of the founders of this Company, and moved that a vote and letter of sympathy be forwarded to the family of the deceased gentleman.  Also to instruct the Secretary to place on record, the highest appreciation of services rendered to this Company during his term of office, and the interest he had always taken in the management of its affairs."

The foregoing is a record of some of the events and conditions of the first thirty years of the Company's life - they can be described as the Formative Period, and may have indulged in excessive detail.  The Directors, however, desire that the early history and its personalities should be fully featured.

Limits of space have led us to write briefly the record of the following twenty years.