The Dairy Industry.

Bush Advocate, Volume VII, Issue 477, 4 June 1891, Page 2

The Dairy Industry.

+ Tnr. newspapers continue to press upon the notice of the Government the growing importance of the dairy industry in this colony, and the enormous benefits that would ensue if the industry received its proper share of attention. The Wellington Press has been assured by one of the shrewdest men and most capable judges in tho colony that it is his deliberate conviction that the dairy industry will eventually outstrip tho frozen meat trade a 3 a source of national wealth. The possibilities of tho industry, writes our contemporary, may be judged from the fact that tho little Kingdom of Denmark, a country much smaller and far leas fertile than the North Islaud of New Zealand, last year exported no less than sixty million pounds of butter, worth about £3,000,000. In addition to this, there was, we believe, a large quantity of cheeso sent a<vay by the industrious- and skilful Danes. Now, Professor Long, of Cironccstor College, in his report to tho New Zealand Govornmont, declared that this colony is superior to Denmark in the all-important matter of clinnto as a dairying country, and that in all other respects it is quito oqual to Denmark. It is oasy to see that tho climato of the North Island at all events is much better than that of Denmark for pasture growing. Hore tho grass grows all the year round, even in tho depth of winter. There there can bo no growth in winter, owing to tho excessive cold. Here, again, thero is no need to house or stall-feed the cattle as in Denmark, and thus a serious item of expenditure is saved. Butter and cheesemaking in Now Zoaland havo not, as a rule, proved remunerative, but tljat has been duo solely to the Mnskilfylpew of tb © persons engaged in it. Where sj-ill and wefchod hare boon employed hemd^

somo returns have been secured. For- example, a number of the i dairy factories in Otago have j returned handsome profits, whilst ,j similar factories in the NorthIsland hare, with one or two exceptions, proved dismal failures, and this, too, though both the climate and soil of . the North Island aro superior to those of Otago for dairying. Individual dairyists in the "Wellington and Taranaki districts have done very well, because they took up the business in an earnest, energetic, and enlightened way. "VVe know a farmer in the Manawatu district, for example, who made a very comfortable living for himself and his family at dairying, though he had only two hundred acres of land. He hai now acquired a much larger holding in the Campbelltown district, and is going in for the business on an extensive scale., Ho is sure ' to succeed, for he always turn_ out good butter, and gets lOd to ls per lb. for it all the year roand. Then there is the Chinese dairyman, who carries on operati onson a large scale in the Taranaki distinct, and. who secured first prize against all-comers at the Dunedin Exhibition. In short, tho suitability of New Zealand for the thoroughly successful prosecution of the dairy industry on a very extensive scale is beyond question. Professor Long, one of tho highest living authorities; says New Zealand in natural advantage for dairying takes the first place in the world. The same gentleman thinks, too, that there is a market at good prices in the United Kingdom for all the high-class butter that New Zealand could produce. Aa a means of affording employment to a large number of peoplo, this industry stands far above tho meat and wool industries, and, therefore, it should receive every legitimate encouragement from tho Government. We do not believe in giving bonuses} for that system is based on unsound principles, and, moreover, it broke down ignominiously in Victoria quite recently. But the Government should provide every possible means of . instructing farmers in the best methods of dairying as they are practised in Denmark, and in tho north of France. There are already two experts employed by the Government travelling through the colony to have talks with and give lectures to the farmers on dairying. Two are not enough, however. The number should be increased, and small fees should be charged to recoup the expenditure. It would be well, too, if a couple of portable model dairies were obtained, one for each island. These could be exhibited at work at the various agricultural shows, and their operations explained by the officials in charge of them. In this way, the want of accurate knowledge on the best systems of butter and cheese making would be gradually overcome, and the dairy industry would, in the course of a few years, becomo established on a permanent and profitable footing.