The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1896. THE NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION-

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XXIV, Issue 2064, 23 June 1896, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1896. THE NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION-

.Wβ have the full report of the annual meeting of this Association before us. Taken as a whole, it is most satisfactory, and we congratulate the 'Peninsula Farmers' Association on having been represented for the 'first time. Mr ivlcEwan made a very good address, lie.strongly urged the benefits of incorporation, saying-that if the Association became incorporated they could call for tenders for carrying all their products, and accept the tender ef one shipping company who would offer the most reasonable terms. He praised the products of our best factories,, contending

they equalled "Canadian and Danish. Some inferior produce had, however, been scut Home last year, which had not done any good to our reputationi With re- , gard to distribution he said : " Our products were shipped in good wholesome condition, but when those products arrived at the London docks they were put into sheds, and often remained for 16 days or so exposed to the odours and flavours of other freight before they were delivered The Agricultural Department should take up this ; and he suggested that the association should consider the advisabilitity. of appointing their own produce representative in London, and pointed out that it might be greatly to their interests to do so ; and after long discussion it was resolved, ' That the Government be asked to send Mr J. B. MacEwan to England to examine our produce, as it lands, and to investigate and report oti the handling and distribution of our produce in Britain.'"

It was resolved that the association should be registered as a corporation ; procure all the material required for factories, and consider the question of a mutual fire insurance scheme, The conference further rebolved that Government should ha requested to continue to freeze firet-class butter lor shipment free of cost, but not other qualities. The questions of steamers , cool chambers and branding were discussed, and it was decided that oblong butter boxes of a uniform size be adopted. • . Mr Scott (secretary to the association) asked the ineetiog to direct the committee as to allowing the Farmers' Association, of Akaroa to become "meoibers .of,4,he association. It had been held that they would only allow, factories and individual farmers to co-operate with them, but it would help them to concentrate business and gather in shipments of Canterbury cheese and butter better than in the past if the Akaroa Association were allowed to join them ; and it was resolved— "That the Fanners' Association 1 of Akaroa be allowed to join as members."

This is certainly a most satisfactory result of the sending of our delegates to Dunedin, and Messrs Bruce, McKay, and Hay deserve our thanksi We are thus put in touch with the rest of the South Island, and will receive the substantial benefits that are bound to arise from intelligent co-operatiou. A nanir ber of other matters came before the conn ference, amongst which' were cheaper railage and ocean freight, the establishment of local produce markets, and the use of aerators. Tbo conference decided that 50 per cent compensation should be paid for cattle destroyed on.account of tuberculosis. We have not space at our command to comment on the work done, but no doubt the association will strongly •influence the Agricaltural Department in the direction of economical improvement, and look forward with pleasure to hearing Mr Bruce explain the result of his mission and the doings of the conference at .the next meeting of our Farmers 1 Association: