ASHBURTON DAIRY FACTORY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13907, 5 December 1910, Page 2

ASHBURTON DAIRY FACTORY.

OPENING CEREMONYA SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION. Another important step in the development of the dairying industry m the South Island was taken on Saturday, when the Asbbtirton Co-operative Dairy Factory Company formal y opeired the spacious building recently erected at the lower end of West street, close to the railway line, and within | five minute*' walk of the railway station and goods shed, and the post and telegraph office. The building, of red brick, with iron roof, and well-graded and well-laid-down concrete floors, looks amply adequate for its purpose, and it has been designed and erected on the most approved and up-to-date plans. The site is most convenient, and an abundant supply of water is provided from a pipe-well driven down below the bed of the Ashburton river. The factory is within ten chains of the river itself, and, from a sanitary point or 1 view the. drainage is just about as per- , feet as it well could be. At present at i is intended to manufacture butter only, ; which will be sold under the "AlbaI tross" brand, and for this purpose a most complete plant has been installed. : A considerable number of local sup-i ! pliers are, and will be, sending milk to the factory, but at present it is being and will be, cHiefly fed with cream from the creameries the dairy company has had erected at convenient spote in the outlying centres. These creameries are five in number-one close to Methven. one on a portion-ot what was onp.ally. the late Mr Duncan CameWs Springfield one in the Anama district, one at Hinds, and another at Lowcliffe. In addition to the cream from these centres, the factory is also receiving the cream from Mr Donald McLean's estate, Mount Hutt. Mr McLean recently installed a big milking plant, and is now milking over 200 cows. Cream is also coming in from the Staveley Dairy 1 actory Company, a company which has been running with satisfactory results for the past four years. Then, again, arrangements are being made for receiving cream from any who have home separators, and a considerable supply is expected from the Willowby and Wakanui districts, so that the central factory has been established with every prospect of its proving a bi? success and a great benefit to the whole of the farming community and to the town and district generally. The central factory and the several creameries have been erected, and the plants installed at a total cost of £8000. Over £4000 worth of shares have already been taken up by some 216 individual shareholders, who represent practically every part of the Ashburton district. The first lot of milk and cream was taken in on Thursday last (December Ist), and on the following day the first half ton of butter was boxed up and sent to Lyttelton by train. It- is expected that about one and a half tons per day will be turned out to start with, and that this output will soon increase to considerably more. The architect for the building "was Mr Pereival, of the North Island. The contractors were Messrs James Smith and Sons, of Ashburton; for the freezing plant, Messrs Needham, Niven and Co., Napier; for the boiler and the balance of the machinery and fittings, including the separator, MessTs Mason, 3truther3 and Co., of Christchurch.. The directors are—Messrs John Grigg (of Loncbeach, chairman), W. T. Lill, C. Eeid, G. W. Leadley, T. J. Doherty, "W. J. Dickie D. McKenzie, H. Sharplin. D. G. Wright, M. G. Rich, W. Dellow, H. A. Lloyd, and G. Harrison. Mr G. H. Buchanan is the solicitor for the comoany, and the chiefs of tlie staff are—Mr Thomas D. Bathgate, manager; Mr W. K. Watson, secretary; Mr J. Cullen. foreman buttermaker; and Mr A. Wagstaff engineer; while Mr J. R. Jennings is the cartage 1 contractor for the central factory. LUNCHEON AND SPEECHES. The directors entertained at an informal luncheon at the Commercial Hotel, a number of visitors who are specially interested in the dairying industry, together with a number of farmers mid others from a distance. Mr John Grigg presided, and immediately after the luncheon the party made their way to the factory buildings, where a large gathering of farmers quickly assembled, as well as visitors from Christchurch, Lyttplton, Doylestori, and other places. The Mayor of Ashburton (Mr Henry Davis), ut the request of the directors, formally started the engine, and three hearty cheers were given for the success of the factory. Mr John Grigg then read apologies for the unavoidable absence of the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie (Minister of Agriculture), Mr Cuddie (of the Government Dairy Department), Mr Win. Nosworthy, M.P., Mr Donald McLean, Mr W. J. Dickie, and a number of others. Tije Chairman then said that he had great pleasure in welcoming all present on behalf of the Ashburton Co-operative Dairy Factory Company. He had always felt that the prosperity of New Zealand depended on, and was ] due to its having so many productive strings to its bow, and he thought the j time had arrived when another string should be added to the productive industries of the Ashburton district. As the population of the county was filling j up, the dairying industry was one which should be developed. He understood that in the past a sum of about £300 per month was being sent out of the district for liutter alone. If this was so, it was time something was done to supply this demand locally. He wished to impress upon all present that the factory they were formally opening that day was a co-operative dairy factory, and he felt sure that the county as a whole would 6Upport it. He emphasised the point that orcly an article of good quality should be turned out, and ho was confident that the butter which would issne from the Ashburton Factory would hold its own in the various markets, and he hoped every farmer in the county -would do his best to ninke the factory a success. (Applause, and Hear, hear.) His Worship the Mayor, at the request or" tho chairman, then formally declared the factory open. In doing so, lie briefly 'referred to the vastly improved methods of butter making now, as compared with twenty and thirty years ago. A good many shares had been sold, but there were still some loft, and he trusted farmers and others would come forward and take them up. The directors would do their best to make the factory a success, but they could not accomplish this unless the farmers came along and helped them in every "way. Some twelve or thirteen years ago an expert had come down from the North Island and had reported svdversely on Ashburton as a district suitable for dairying, but- if this expert visited them again, he (the Mayor) hoped that the prophet referred to would see that he had been mistaken. Mr John Lambie, chairman of the County Council, in speaking on the value of the dairying industry generally, stated that that day would mark an important epoch in the history of ihe Ashburton County. Some thirty years ago the sources of revenue "were chiefly derived from the sheep runs, and the connty was then, as he might say, in the windmill stage, so far as its water supply was concerned. This jbtage was followed by the mailing

of the water races, of which there was now a total length of between 17JO aad 1800 miles. (Applause, , giving a good water supply to nearly all parts of the plain, and this had helped very materially in making the land suitable for dairying purposes. Dairying was one of the most profitable industries a farmer could engage inMore could be extracted from the soil by dairying than by any other branch of farming. He knew something about darrying. as he came from Ayrshire, a great dairying district. He hoped the Ashburton Dairy Factory would make a name for itself, and become an exporter of butter to all parts. He felt sure that for every creamery there was in the district now there would, in a few years, be ten. There were labour and other troubles to contend with, but the milking machines had heliwd to solve one of the problems. He was sorry to say that the tendency of the Government legislation of the day did not show any promise of helping to overcome any of their troubles. He hoped some steps would be taken to convince honest labourers that capital had no malicious intentions towards labour. Mr S. Bowman, of the Government Dairy Division, said they had a factory capable of dealing with about six tons of bntter per day, and if they turned out good butter they would find it would be a success. He urged upon all suppliers to send their milk and their cream to the factory in the best of condition. Mr Hugo Friedlander. in proposing "Success To the Ashburton Dairy Factory," referred to his retirement from the directorate, and said he had dore so iii the best interest of the company. What had been done so far had been done in a most creditable manner. The buildings were good, all the machinery was of the best, and the latest type, and he felt sure that Ashburton would turn out as good a .brand of butter as was known in any other part. The directors would do their best, and it would be for the farmers to do their best to help them. Mr C. Roid, having spokon briefly. Mr C. J. Harper proposed the toast of "The Suppliers," to which Mr Geo. Harrison" Mr "Rich and Mr Dellow, responded. Mr G. W. Leadley, Mr Barnett, of the Central Dairy Factory, Christchnrch, and Mr Thomas Bullock, also briefly spoke, and wished success to the company. The toasts of "The Architect' and "The Contractors" were proposed, and the directors then entertained the large number of visitors to afternoon teaT and a most successful function was brought to a close.