DAIRYING CONDITIONS

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 75, 28 March 1924, Page 7

DAIRYING CONDITIONS

POSITION IN THE NORTH. GOOD AUTUMN ANTICIPATED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The Director of the Dairy Division of the Agricultural Department (Mr. W. M. | Singleton) has just returned from a visit to the Auckland district, which extended over 11 days. Mr. Singleton attended the conference of first assistants of dairy factories, ■which commenced at Auckland on < March 12. This conference is held with! the idea .of stimulating assistant! managers of dairy factories to take the keenest interest in their work. These first assistants are all experienced men, who take the manager's place when he is called away at any time. At the conference the assistants are split up into groups of six, and, under the direction of an officer of the Dairy Division, they are instructed not only in the' awarding of points for butter and 1 ; cheese, but in grading. They see their i own factory's output classed and graded ■with others, and in this way are able to compare notes, which add to their knowledge of the Industry. Mr. Singleton informed a "Dominion" reporter that the Whangarei district, which he also visited, had weathered the dry summer better than any district he had seen. This was due to the fact that there was a good growth of paspalum grass in that region. The Waikato and Hauraki Plains were also looking well, but the growth of grass there was not so generous as in the Whangarei district. Many dairy companies, Mr. Singleton stated, have as a result of rainfall during recent weeks experienced an increase in their milk and cream supply, and it is hoped that a good autumn will be experienced, so as to enable some of the summer shortage in butterfat production to be overtaken before the lend of the season.