DAIRYING IN THE WAIKATO.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 137, 10 June 1911, Page 8

DAIRYING IN THE WAIKATO.

THE CO-OPERATIVE COMPANY. SUPPLIERS' ANNUAL DINNER. The annual gathering of suppliers to the Waikato Co-operative -pairy Company was held on Wednesday evening in the Volunteer Hall, Hamilton. More than 200 persons were present, including representatives from Tuakau, Putaruru, Puriri, and other districts. Colonel Allen Bell presided, and the visitors were welcomed to Hamilton by the Mayor (Mr. J. A. Young). All present sat down to dinner, and a short toast list was honoured.

Colonel Bell, speaking on behalf of the directors. .Messrs. Wm. Goodfellow (chairman), ,Tas. Thompson (Wabaroa), W. Macky. (Paterangi), A. Kay (Parawera), L. Porter, and Dr. Brewis, extended a hearty welcome to the guests. A couple of years ago, he said, when they started a company for the purpose of going into liomo separation, they were met with great antagonism, and consequently the}' commenced operations under the most adverse conditions. They had, nevertheless, turned out 130 tons of butteir in tbe first year, and bad since increase*! their output by 300 per cent—a result that no other dairy company in Australasia bad obtained in one year. In spite of much that had been said, there was an indication that public opinion was changing, and they felt pitett.v safe in predicting that next year's output would t* 800 tons. In the London market they had obtained an everagp price of 106/10J for their butter, while th? National Dairy Association, the largest concern in New Zealand working under the creamery system, had averaged 106/10 4-5. As to quality, their London agents declared that there was no difference between the two butters. Moreover not a single fcox sent out by them bad been reported on as fishy this season. Extensive additions had ■bi>en made to the factory to cope with the greatly iircreased supply of cream, but for some time they had suffered from an accident to the vat, which reduced the quality of the butter appreciably till 'A. was dist'overed. Nevertheless only 8.0 por cent, of the output from August to the end of January, was second grade. The manager of the New Zealand.Dairy Association had told an audience that there was 7 per cent, loss with the home separator, but actual tests by the company had proved that under home separation the loss was 2 per cent, less than under creamery methods. The home separation system was widely adopted in Australia, and the Byron Bay Company, the largest concern in the world, had used it for 15 years. Referring to casein, Colonel Bell said that if llic skim milk was utilised extensively for its manufacture, the cost of stock was going to be greatly increased, and it was doubtful if they would make more money out of casein than out of calves and pigs. "Mr. Wm. Croodiellow spoke optimistically, and stated that tbe company had acquired land near Frankton railway st-ition. and would take steps to have a factory erected there. A large number of visitors also spolce, and asked a number of questions, which were satisfactorily answered. The gathering terminated with cheers for the working manager (Mr. A. R. Valder).