The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1836.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 86, 13 April 1896, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1836.

ffsr tUd ofiwie that lacks asßistancj, P«r tha Trrsng tiiat n«cdß rcaistanea, Jfcr tko Ixtnro in tho disUnco. And tie gtod tint tre oaa flu.

There appeara to be no end to the number of docbors who prescribe for bhe agricultural depression in the Old Country, bu fc none of the proscriptions, evon when taken according to directions, soems to do the poor British farmer much good. Mr Gladstone used to advocate small industries in his own persuasive fashion . Mr Lowthor assures us that nothing bub a rigid exclusion of foreign produce from the shores of Great Britain "will save the local producer from ruin ; Lord Wiucholsea and the Duke of Devonshire, who are to some extent specialists in agricultural matters, preach co-operation amoug the farmers and dispensing with the middlemen. They advocate the foundation of a great mart in London, which would become "a competent agency for the distribution of the goods, and a channel enabling the consumer to obtain British produce at a fair price," and they intend " to establish shops of their own to tesb the willingness of the British'people to take Britieh produce."

■ To all these proposed remedies, very serious objections may be urged, objections so serious that, one may well have grave doubts as to tho efficacy of any of the cure?. The suggestion ot Lord Winchelsea aDd the Duke of Devonshire, which is one of the latest, does nob impress one as particularly likely to be c. panacea for the British farmers' woes, as these noblemen probably imagine. The whole question is one of cost and quality. No patriotic sentiment, however intense, will induce the greab British public to pay more for home-grown produce than uhey do for the foreign article simply because the one is produced in Great Britain and bhe other on an alien shore or in the colonies. They will be guided in the firsb place by tho prosaic laws of domestic economy, and the appeal of the Bribiah farmer which will reach them quickest, will be one be their love of a good bargain, nob their love of country.

The London "Times" recognises this facb in a recent issue aa we Baw_ by a cablegram a day or two a^o. Ib adviaea English farmers to imitate the example of the colonies and establish dairy factories, that is to say to combine for the production of a first-class article aba minimum price. The ad vicei3 of coarse applicable toother branches of the agricultural industry besides dairying bnfc in dairy factories we see perhaps the beat example of the succeaafal application of bhe co-operative principle to agriculture. Ib will strike most people ac remarkable that the agriculture of tho colonies should be held up as v pattern for the Home farmor 60 copy. One.woutd naturally have

bhoughb fehab we would rather be the pupils than the teachers in such a matter. The fact is, however, that the exigencies of our position, together with a greater degree of enterprise on our.parb than is manifested by the Home farmer, have placed us ahead of him in several directions. We have been forced out of the grooves in which he haß worked with little divergence for centuries, and been led to adopt expedients and methods that would never have occurred to his mind.

It is gratifying as a proof of the success of our system of farming to find an influential journal like the London " Times " quoting ue for the sbimulabien of tha English farmer. A better proof still is bhe pricoa our produce commands in competibion with that of other countries in the Home niarkeb. Taking the markob report for last February, we find New Zealand choicest butter Ills per cwb against 112a for Danish and Swedish. Of course, there is sometimes a greater margin between bhe prices brought by the colonfal and Continental produce, but allowance must be made for the established position the latter has secured in England, bhe perfecb organisation of the trade a and the long standing reputation. In the matter of cheese ifc is apparent that we are much ahead of the Old Country. In a recent market report we learn thab the Now Zealand article is picked up in the midland counties and in the north immediately on arrival "being of better quality than bbo Homo eheeso." The consumption of cheese does not appear to bo increasing in proportion to the population in the Old Country, a fact attributable to the cheapness, abundance and wholosomenesa of meats, tinned fooda and jams, bub notwithstanding thia tho colonial make is high in favour. New Zealand, though a shade easier than Canadian, is growing in reputation, aad constitutes tho great bulk of tho Australasian cheese in the Homo market. For the twelve months ending Docomber, 1595, Great Britain imported 75,430cwb of New Zaaland cheese, an against 11,597cwt from Victoria and 6,2flScwb from Now South Wales. In butter Victoria is still much in front of her sister colonies, hor exports to England for ]895 being 212,6240wt, while New Zealand came second with 53,272cwb to hor credib, and New South Wales third with 45,827cwt.

The Government are sparingl no pains to improve tho position of the dairy industry ho as to enable ib to take its place as ono of our chiof national industries. Dairy inspectors aro constantly making peregrinations in the country districts aiding bhe farmers and factories with advice and practical demonebrabion. During the winter months when tho managers of bubter factories and others intereated in dairying have a greater amounb of leisure ab bheir command they may repair to one of the iluiry schools which have been established under a competent staff of instructors. Ib may be mentioned for the benefit of our country readers, bhab the North Island Dairy School will be open ab Waverley from 23rd July to 21sb Augusfc inclusive, for tho bonetib of managers and assistants. Arrangements will in all likelihood be made for a second term after bhe regular schools are over, at which choeao and butter makers in private dairies will be invited bo attend.

' Ib is perfectly clear to thoae who have studied dairying thab it is impossible for the colony to oxpecb to attain to any preeminence" in the Home markets aa a pro-; ducer of first-class produce unle9B the munufactnro of tho article is carried on in a sciontilic fashion. The day of rule of thumb is pasb for ever, in this departmonb of agriculture at any rate, and ib is only by turning oub a firat-clasH prodncb ab tho lowest coab bfoat nny country can hopo to build up a thriving indusbry. We have climabic conditions thab the British dairy farmer Bighs for in vain and for bhat roason even if he should follow our example and adopt the latest methods of production, we havo the advantage over him. Let it be our business not to lose that advantage by any careWaness, dishonesty or want of enterprise. ______