FURTHER meetings were held by dairy farmers who supported factory amalgamation and letters to the editor continued.

Speculation centred on which factories would amalgamate, however, being the closest to the port and railway, the future of Coff’s factory remained relatively secure and administration’s focus remained on sourcing funds to upgrade the building.

Over the next two years, production increased and in January 1925 a new churn, boiler and batch pasteurising vat was purchased, with the idea they could be transferred to a new factory.

In August 1925, the Shire Council called for tenders to supply electricity to the jetty area as the lease would expire at the end of the year.

Tenders were received from the butter factory and Mr P Burke who had just been appointed sole supplier of light and power for Coffs Harbour’s main township for ten years.

At the Council meeting which would finalise the tenders, attendees included Mr Horace Faviell and Mr Robert ‘Cecil’ Debenham, the butter factory’s chairman of directors and manager respectively.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Faviell questioned whether tenders had been advertised for the ten-year supply of light and power. However this was unknown, so Mr Faviell suggested the situation might be ‘fatal’ to Mr Burke’s contract. He went on to explain that the butter factory had decided to opt out of providing electricity and with Council’s consent, transfer the department to a Mr Quost to regain their investment costs and help rebuild the factory.

He also described how Mr Burke had been given the first offer of purchase, but he had refused, so it was arranged Mr Quost would become the purchaser, subject to Council’s approval.

Mr Faviell then presented Council a petition in support of the proposal, signed by their light and power customers. Council questioned Mr Quost, then Mr Burke, before later declaring their acceptance of Mr Burke’s tender.

This came as a surprise to the residents and the factory’s directors called a meeting to consider their options.

By Karen FILEWOOD