1905.] 



Milk Contracts. 



37i 



February, 7,236; March, 6,565, Grand total, 91,169 eggs, or 

 7,597 dozen. 



The monthly range of prices for eggs was : — April, is. 9d. to 

 2s. id.; May, is. 1 id.; June, is. iod.to is. 3d.; July, is. 46. to ujd.; 

 August, 1 id. to8d.; September, 8^d. to 7d. ; October, 7d. to 7|d.; 

 November, 8d. to lid. ; December, iod. to is. ; January, is. to 

 is. 3d. ; February, is. 3d. to is. 46. ; March, is. 6d. 



The market value of the eggs was £382 12s. 7d. from which 

 deduct the cost of feed, £134 os. 1 id., and a gross profit, exclud- 

 ing cost of labour, &c, of £248 us. 8d. is left on the 600 hens. 

 It is stated that the work of looking after the birds did not fully 

 occupy the time of one man. Every pen showed a profit on the 

 cost of feeding, the pen returning the smallest value leaving a 

 margin of 14s. 



A considerable number of breeds were included, but Leghorns, 

 Orpingtons, and Wyandottes preponderated. So far as this 

 competition is concerned it is considered that Silver Wyandottes 

 and Black Orpingtons gave the best results. 



The attention of the Board has been drawn on more than one 

 occasion to instances in which the conditions contained in some 

 of the forms of milk contract in use between 

 Milk Contracts. farmers and milk dealers have appeared to 

 press hardly on the seller. Most Dairy 

 Farmers' Associations have a form of contract which they 

 recommend, and in some instances they have been successful in 

 bringing the form of contract they recommend into general use 

 by their members. The value of combined effort in this direction 

 is obvious, as the necessity of concluding a contract for the dis- 

 posal of their milk at what is considered a satisfactory price no 

 doubt leads farmers in many instances to accept without demur, 

 and to regard as of minor importance, conditions which apply 

 only under special circumstances. 



One point to which greater attention might with advantage 

 be given is the question of what is to be held delivery to the 

 purchaser. From the numerous complaints which have from 



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