1929
While in the earlier period HPA members had been loyal in not competing with their association, by 1929 HPA members were using the Association for the disposal of honey only when it suited them. The loss of the higher return on the local market made the HPA more and more dependent on the export market with its lower returns. In order to attract more suppliers the HPA increased their advances, while at the same time both local and overseas prices were beginning to deteriorate.
The 1928/29 honey crop was estimated at 1,050 tons. In total 1,041 of honey were exported.
The London agents, AJ Mills and Co, were beginning to worry over the financial outlay involved in paying advances on such large crops. They were also experiencing difficulties in making sales.
Based on the previous success of advertising campaigns, the Government agreed to provide assistance of £9,000. The change of Government did not alter the position, and the money was duly paid over to the Honey Control Board to provide for increasing export sales.
The 1929 Conference was held in Timaru on 5 and 6 June, with the Vice President Mr PA Hillary in the chair. The local marketing scheme backed by the HPA and the NBA (called the “contract scheme”) was again discussed, including an alternative scheme proposed by Mr WB Bray, primarily involving advertising to increase local consumption.
Mr R Gibb (Menzies Ferry) was elected President, with Mr PA Hillary (Tuakau) as Vice President. Executive elected were Mr AH Davies (Hamilton), Mr AR Clark (Matamata), Mr LF Robins (Temuka) and Mr WB Bray (Barrys Bay).
Mr PA Hillary’s paper on “How to Procure Good Queens of Proved Producing Strain” won the Hopkins’ Memorial Essay Competition.
In July Mr WB Bray began publication of “The New Zealand Honey Producer” magazine, having announced the idea at the conference the previous month. The cover had a photograph of Mr Isaac Hopkins, Mr Robert Gibb and Mr WB Bray, taken in about 1907. Mr Bray announced the motto of the journal as “Better Beekeeping, Better Marketing”, the first use of that phrase within the industry.
The Napier Earthquake had struck on 17 June. To initiate a fund to help the affected beekeepers “make a new and successful start in a more favoured district”, the magazine announced the gift of 200 pounds of foundation wax.
By the time of “The NZ Honey Producers” second issue, there were only 26 paid up subscriptions!
In August 1929 Mr PA Hillary and his wife proposed to the Auckland Central branch that a local beekeeper’s paper be produced. In late 1929 they began publication of “The Alighting Board”.
The HPA had a total of nearly 1,200 shareholders. Efforts were made to get 75% of beekeepers to sign agreements to either sell through the HPA or as agents of the HPA at a uniform price to be fixed periodically, and in uniform packages.
By August, it was claimed that 50% of the 75% had been signed. In fact 250 out of the 1,200 required only signed the contract. When it failed to achieve the required number, the provisions were not longer binding on those who did sign.
The hope was that if the majority of beekeepers would refrain from competing with the HPA, prices could be stabilised. Advertising (at the rate of 1/2 penny per pound of honey) could be used to increase consumption, with all honey consumers paying for it, providing security and stability to the market.
The HPA was in a difficult position and announced that the advance payout for the coming season would only be half of that paid out the previous season.
In the 1929 calendar year the HPA sold 198½ tons in bulk and packed 376 tons.