OPENING OF THE SEFTON DAIRY FACTORY.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7262, 23 January 1889, Page 2

OPENING OF THE SEFTON DAIRY FACTORY.

January Djt was a red letter day in the Sefton district. The question of estabBsMag a dairy factory has occupied the attention of the farmers for some time since it was first suggested by Mr Tanghan, but now it has* assumed a tanemift shape in the erection of buildings on a osstraf section within the towtship of Sefton, and the machinery has beez» fairly started. That the farmers deserve>-a considerable amount of praise for their*enterprise is evident to all who take an interest in the success of this and similar industries. The company as formed starts with a nominal capital of £1500, in shares of £3 each, and about £400 worth has been applied for. It is estimated that at present the factory will meet the work which the supply from 800 cows pronused wiH provide. Its operations will ex tend from Balcairn to the Ashley. Judging by tho extent as well asyield of the erops,.tbe land surrounding the Sefton Dairy Factory appears so rich in quality that there can be very little doubt about the ultimate success of the undertaking. At the opening of the factory yesterday there were several visitors present, inclusive of .Mr Wm. Norman and Mr M. Murphy, of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association; Messrs R. Bainey (Chairman), Herrick, Mangles, Forbes and Spencer, of the Tai Tapu Dairy Factor.y. This, it is stated, is to be on a rather large scale, and will be made to use up the produce of about 1000 cows. Coming to aii inspection of the Sefton premises, the land occupied at present is two acres, purchased from Mr Alex. McLean. The buildings erected of wood, with concrete floors and double roofed, iron forming the outside covering, are 36ft x 20ft, and include the store room and factory. To this is attached the engine-house, 10ft x Bft, and a weighing room. The builders of the same were Messrs Boyd and Keir, from plans drawn by Mr A. J. Carmichael, architect. Entering at the weighing and receiving room, the. milk brought In by the farmers' cans, of which a description of those made br Mr T. McKay, tinsmith, of Rangiora, recently appeared in the FHKSB, is taken over. These cans are formed to deliver the milk without its having been unduly shaken in the course of transit. From this department the milk is passed through a funnel shoot into the muk, vat, which by means of steam pipes is heated to the necessary temperature. From this vat it flows into a De Laval's turbine separator, which passes through 150 gallons per hour, It may here be noted that the motive power and steam is provided from an engine made by Scott Bros., engineers, of Christchurch, and an 8-h.p. vertical boiler. From the cream 'separator the skim milk, by an arrangement of pipes, is conveyed into an 800 gallon tank outside, from whence it can oe pumped up and taken away by the farmers to feed their stock. The cream falls into a vat near the churn in a rich sweet state, where it is allowed to stand twenty-four hours, and then churned in a cylinder churn capable of robbing 1201 OS. This machine is in everyway a highly finished apparatus, and is from the North Canterbury Woodware Factory's works. Having undergone the process of churning, the butter is pieced on a Cherry's butter worker, and thence it is placed in the kegs ready for export. The expert in charge of the works isMr W. L. Gordge, recently from Geraldine. Water is supplied for batter washing, &c, from a dug well of 44ft in depth, from which the supply promises to be inexhaustible. A second well from a spring also supplies a copious quantity of water for steam and rough washing purposes. Daring the day a large number of ladies and gentlemen visited the works, displaying a keen interest in observing the progress of the operations, under the guidance of Mr D. Dick, Chairman of Directors, and Messrs T. Wyilie and M. Robertson, Secretaries.

A cold collation was spread in a tent adjoining, and ample justice having been done to the liberal fare, a number ot toasts were duly honored Mr M. Mttrpht proposed "Success to the Sefton Dairy Factory." He said so much had already. been said and written by. y> imß *™ and others in favor of the factory- system of making butter and cheese that it was quite unnecessary for nun to say anything further on that subject. He might/however, congratulate the dairy farmers of Sefton as being the first to open a factory in North Canterbury. He reminded them that the success or otherwise of this undertaking would largely influence the rapid development of the dairy industry in Canterbury. Their success would embolden more timid friends to follow their example. Success," however, had not always attended such efforts in other parts of New Zealand and it was not necessary to look far for the causes of such failures. They were generally to be found in the want of proper management, orawant of sufficient funds to start with, or from the too meagre support accorded by surrounding dairymen. These were defects which the experience of others should teach them to avoid One of the chief causes of failure had been the want of co-operation. There must be no separate interests. The interests of the factory must be one with that of the suppliers of milk or cream. Suppliers must learn to look upon the factory as their own dairy. (Cheers.) The Company was simply a compact entered into by themselves for the manufacture of batter and cheese under one roof with improved appliances, thereby minimising the cost of production and securing uniformity of quality, without which the best prices could not be obtained, in distent markets. Nor could they hope by any other means to make a nanu for themselves in. those markets. Why was it that butter from New South Wales invariably commanded i a higher price in the London markets than i New Zealand t It was simply because the '' whole of the butter shipped from that colony was factory made, and was now known as such. (Hear, hear.) It was needless here to dilate upon the advantages of the separator over the old system of pancsetting. Apart from the great saving of; labor, it was a well tested facttnat separated .milk produced from 15 to 20 per cent, more cream. This meant ! that a dairy turning out, say, 301bs of i butter per day would be increased to S3lbs. Well, v. was not difficult to estimate -what this meant the colony. But this was not all, for instead of having to sell their butter daring the summer months for 4d or 5d per lb, as heretofore, they would be receiving a uniform rate of at least 8d per lb, dear of all expenses. (Cheers.) The climate and the geographical j position of New Zealand combined gave them a position superior to any other ! country in the world for dairy purposes. They could pour fresh dairy produce into the English markets at the season when Home and Continental produce was scarce, and when the season was over there we had Anstraria and the islands, India and China, to fall back upon. He hardly thoughtthat their farmers fully realised the advantages they possessed "It is an ill wind that blows no good to anyone." The terrible drought from which our neighbors in Australia were now suffering had created a demand for all our surplus, dairy, produce. New Zealand was becoming better known. Her great agricultural resources were being brought prominently before the world The butter and cheese already exported to the home markets, exceeded the combined shipments for all the other colonies of Australasia. He looked forward to the time, and that at no distant date, when the dairy produce will be second only to wool in importance. (Cheers.; New Zealand, notwithstanding the slandering tongues of interested outsiders, backed up, he was sorry to add, by a section of her own people, was bound to take her position as a colony peculiarly favored. Depression was passing away, and a period of prosperity had already set In. (Cheers.) It remained for them to make that prosperity permanent, and one of the best means of doing so was by helping themselves as they had done, by developing the dormant resources at their door. The dairy industry was capable of vast expansion. There need be no fear of overdoing the markets, for we were not dependent on local demand. We had the markets of the world before us. He would add in conclusion that butter and cheese matrix was dow a science, and if they were to succeed they must keep themselves well posted in all that was doing elsewhere. Finally, co-operation pure and simple must be their motto, which, if faithfully carried out, would go far to secure complete success. (Applause.)

The Chaibxak in reply thanked Mr Murphy for the kind remarks and sound advice of that gentleman. Regarding the factory, it had been up-hill work to get the industry formed He explained the capital and present position of the Company, and believed that it would be a success in the district. (Cheers.) The advantages in factory-made butter were very great, therefore he urged those who had dairy cows in the district to give the factory a helping hand. Every economy had been shown by the Directors of the factory, who by their prudence hoped to bring a good return to the shareholders andabeneflttothedistrict. (Cheers). So far the amount erf capital to be called up woold not.exceed isTDQ, Severn! were

waiting to see its effects and these he trusted to see join cordially in helping the undertaking forward. (Cheers.) MrCHAS. Essor proposed—" Success to kindred Institutions and the Dairy Industry." He was glad to see several visitors from Tai Tapu and other districts. While Mr Murphy was correct in saying Sefton was believed that the Tai Tapu people would soon follow up in giving a name to the brand of butter from these factories. Although some of the companies were said to have failed, he believed that instead of erecting flash buildings and putting them into Finance Companies, the co-operation principle was the best The Chairman had sounded the right note in appealing to the farmers to assist their own, and he was sure with the men at the head of this factory of the right sort they would soooeed. It was his impression that farmers muse in time find it more advantageous to have their own separators, by which,means there would be no need to send to the factory more th»n once a week instead of daily. Not only ought the factory system go in the direction of making butter, but he hoped to see it extended to preserving meat, fruit, &c He coupled the toast with the names of Messrs Bennie, Herrick, Peryman and Forbes. Mr R.BADOBY stated it gave him much pleasure to respond, believing that where economically, carefully and well managed these factories should be a success. Unanimity on the part of those interested was most essential to this end. As visitors they were happy to congratulate the Sefton farmers. He held that the dairy factories should be kept separate from meat caring and preserving operations of other trades. While he had seen a number of larger factories, he was pleased to see that in this district they had begun at the right end. Upon the perfection and sound .quality of the produce of the factory would depend their success. He trusted while the Sefton brand would rank high in the market, the Tai Tapu brand would stand head and shoulders above it. (Laughter and cheers.) In conclusion, he trusted soon to be able to invite a return visit from this district. Mr Pkrtman and Mr Hbrrick spoke strongly in favor of a central factory. Mr Forbes, Mr Spknceb, and Mr Mangles also replied. Mi* C. Ft Pembkrton proposed the toast of "The Directors of the Sefton Dairy Factory,'* coupled with the name of the Chairman.

Mr James Andrews proposed " The agricultural and pastoral interests of New Zealand," to which Mr J. Fulton, of the North Agricultural and Pastoral Associa tion, replied. Mr M". Robertson proposed, "The Manager, Mr W. L. Gordge," to which that gentleman suitably responded. Mr J. Barclay proposed the health of MrW. Norman, one of the oldest agriculturists who was present. The proposer stated he was himself one of the few oldest settlers over the Ashley. Mr Norman said he arrived in 1850, and for some time followed agriculture. He was glad to<see so much decided progress in the country, and wished this undertaking every success. The other toasts were "The Ladies, proposed by Mr B. Fltnn, and coupled with the name of Mr J. Carmichael, and " The Press," to which Mr Wilson and Mr Jennings responded. Specimens of the butter produced from the day's churning were placed on the table, and were also inspected in the dairy.