THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7158, 20 September 1888, Page 5

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

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WELLINGTON, September 19.

lam indebted to the Minister of Lands tonight for an advance copy of Mr McCallam' 8 report on the dairy industry of New Zealand, and other papers on the subject. —eportang upon the factories visited Mr MeCallnm states that he found their condition is by no means so satisfactory aa is desirable. Among-t the causes of financial failure are insufficiency of capital at the commencement of the enterprise, unnecessary expenditure on buildings, and want of management. The principal drawbacks to the perfect working: of the establishments are irregularity of milk supplies, many of the suppliers preferring to make butter on their own account as the season advances and prices rise, and ineu_ciency of attention given by dairymen to cleanliness of-te___i and mil king sheds. He favors working these factoiies on the co operative pried pie. Mr McCall—_ recommends Government to reduce the railway rates on this produce, aad have specially constr-eted trucks fer its conveyance to porta of shipment; to arrange for proper supervision of the transfer of produce from the cars to the vessels, and to stipulate with the Companies contracting for the direct mail services for the proper ventilation of the cool chambers. The monopoly of the market by the factory-made article is, in Mr McCallum's opinion, only a question of tune, as the factory system is the only me—ns by which large quantities of dairy produce of __form quality can be obtained and sent to a foreign market. The whole of the west coast of the —"orth Island is admirably adapted for dairying purposes, and Mr McCal—ua is convinced that in a very short time this industry will be onf of the largest and most important in the colony. He makes the following special report on the Roseville Dairy Factory, Dunedin? —"This i? the first factory for condensing milk that has been established in the colony. The Company commenced operations' en the 20th January, 1888, and eontiiined to make butter until about the 18th March; then the milk condensing was begun, and up to the 18th June the number of lib tins of condensed milk manufactured amounted to 2600, consignments of which have already been sent to Great Britain, China, Western Australia and other places. I obtained a sample of milk and had it tested in the presence of a number of people, acknowledged to be good judges of this class of produce, and they all pronounce it first class. I also gave a tin of the milk to a person who has been in the habit of using the Swiss milk largely in his family for years. He expressed himself greatly pleased with it, affirming that it was equal to the Swigi milk, and in some respects superior. It is of better color, and presents a more palatable appearance. When put in water it dissolves ii_mediately. The plant at the factory is capable of manufacturing from 400 to £00 gaWons of milje daily.. The Company deserve the thanks and support of the community for their enterprise in establishing; with so much success an industry which all others have shrunk from trying. The butter plant used here is also of very superior —take, and the butter turned out is excellent. The Directors are negotiating for the purchase of a cheese manufacturing plant in 9r4er to utilise the skim milfc which is at present time almost wasted."

Among the papers appended is one giving returns of butter and cheese exported from New Zealand in the last few years. This shows that the export of butter has increased from 2£,9J23cwt in the year I$S5 tp iv the first six months of 18538, and cheese from in the year ISBS to 2.6,830 ip half year of 1888. A recent despatch on the subject from the Agent-General is also included, which states that the English Imperial Commission on Agriculture recohunends the erection of endowed, central normal schools of agriculture with subsidised locs- dairy schools. • .