CHEESE.

Press, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5704, 31 December 1883, Page 3

CHEESE.

TO THB BDITOB OF THB PRESS. Sib,—Kindly aflowme space for afew more words on this very important subject. At the outset I say cheese factories wUI not pay unless something very different turns up. To prove this I wiU try and do what Mr Bowron is not doing, or seems inclined to do, and that is to snow the people of New Zealand how much they wiU have in clear money after aU the expenses are deducted from the cheese shipped to England. The moderate terms on which the New Zealand Shipping Company are now taking cheese home in the cooling chamber is one penny per lb on the gross weight, cases and aU, or about £12 per ton on the cheese itself; then there is 60s per ton for cases, 20s per ton for carriage to Lyttelton, at the least; next insurance, commission, dock charges, exchange, and all the odds and ends which no one but a poor shipper knows —vthing about—amounting in all to threepence per lb; and I'U wager that, in addition to this, there wfll be a loss of at least £ cwt. out of every ton, that wUI be so much damaged as to bring no money over the expenses. The above are a few of the " many difficulties to be overcome." Then comes the loss in weight and the interest on our money for nine months. Loss in weight is caused by the fact of our having to keep the cheese from October till the end of March, this being the time, according to Mr 8., that the cheese should be sent Home. Not less than 7 percent, in weight is lost during this time. Then from March we make cheese for another three months. This, I suppose, must be sent Home at the worst time, and bring 203 less than the other.

Then comes the quality. It has been anything but conclusively proved that factory cheese is of good quality. Akaroa cheese has beaten it wherever it has competed against it, and we ham just seen it recorded that Ashburton cheese is only classed at Home as third class Cheddar. £ have just read a copy of the letter received by the Secretary of the Ashburton Factory which is rather star—ing! The point that is the strongest in it is the fact of the Catalonia's shipment only having realised 62s—not quite 7d per lb. It also states that the very best w_l not bring more than B<L Now I Jask in aU justice, wUI the Secretary make public aU the expenses that have been incurred in eendng that cheese Home, and what per lb. the factory win have cleared?

How is it we do not see in the advertising columns of the papers " Liberal advances made on cheese," if it is such a profitable investment ? Why, because the merchants (like the shipping companies) are too wide awake to advance money on any doubtful commodity. Blow their "customary enterprise" and their "fine ships," while they charge us —12 per ton for our cheese. No monopoly here. Better for the cheese factories to sell out and form a shipping ' company; they will get something per cent, on their money. Would it not have been better to have thoroughly tested the matter by Bending home the product of one factory, and finding out whether it paid, before starting so many factories ? I make bold to state that in three years time instead of there being six more factories there will be six less. What waa it that caused so much excitement in cheese last year, and Bent it up with such a run ? Why, the Australian drought. In May, 1882, good cheese was a drug at 4d; then came the rush from Australia, and in three months' time it was up to Bd, because our market was cleared. This grand price was one of the baits on the line of Mr B. Then came the .£SOO bonus offered by the Government for the first fifty tons made in one factory, and sold at a fair price in a foreign market. But I presume the aim of the Government was also to provide another profitable industry. Therefore it was a mistake to have gone in so heavy tiU the thing had been tried and proved a success. Why, the New Zealand Shipping Company were the very first to cripple us in refusing to fit up a cool chamber for less than 100 tons. How is it Mr B. is fighting tooth and naU for the factories P " Can a mother forget V But what' about Banks' Peninsula? At the present time we have hundreds of tons of cheese here, and do not know what to do with it. Even if we wish to send it home, the merchants will not advance on it, and a good many are not in a position to wait for another six months before any returns can come from England. We also dread aU the losses and expenses which we shaU have to incur before we get back the returns. I reaUy hope that for both shareholders and farmers' Bakes no more factories will be started tiU it has been proved that the cheese industry is a paying one. Better put sheep on the 10,000 acres,

Yours, Ac, H. B