DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7812, 3 June 1909, Page 4

DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, June 2. At the annual meeting of the National Dairy Association of the South Island held this morning, Mr Hunter moved—"That it be a recommendation to the Government Dairy Experts to ascertain precisely why it is that New Zealand-made cheese brings about £1 less per cwt m the British market than Homemade cheese of similar make." The mover said that the price of English cheese was 10s to 20s per cwt more than factory-made cheese from New Zealand. The annual loss at present was roughly £130,000, and as the industry was increasing by leaps and bounds, the loss would be a quarter of a million before long unless steps were taken to alter things. He thought more care should be taken m the way of cooling milk. Mr Milne seconded the motion. Mr Cuddie, Chief Dairy Commissioner, said that considerable misunderstanding existed on this matter. There was only a limited market for highpriced cheese. In many cases the highest priced cheese realised more than its intrinsic worth, a fact which was borne out by a report by Mr Ruddiek recently. New Zealand cheese at Home was largely sold among the working class, and was replaceable by meats, which to some extent controlled the demand. Canada, also, came into competition with a large quantity, and practically set the value for cheddar cheese imported into Britain. The Home people had another advantage m the manner the milk was looked after by those who made cheese, the conditions being better than the average condition m New Zealand. He thought New Zealand could raise the price of cheese by improving the milk supply. The best New Zealand cheese was equal to the best cheese made anywhere if it had the same treatment and was held the same length of time. New Zealand cheese to-day was on as good a basis as Canadian, and New Zealand had to thank the Canadians for it. The president said there was no necessity to put the motion to the meeting. There; was a motion on the order paper recommending the Dairy Division to take action. The motion was seconded and lapsed. It was agreed that membership of the Association should be open to buyers as well as producers. A motion that factories should be invited to increase their subscriptions by 50 per cent was withdrawn.