NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1776, 19 June 1896, Page 6

NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

The annual meeting and conference of members of the National Dairy Association of New Zealand was held in the Chamber of Commerce, Dunedin, during show week. Mr R. Caddie (president) occupied the chair, and there waa a large attendance. ANNUAL REPORT. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance - sbeet (already published), said that the report was a full one, and it left very little for him to add. The business of the Association had been carried on by two branches during this season, one in the North Island and the other in the South. He was glad to state that the secretary of the North Island branch was with them to-day, and no doubt the meeting would hear from him later on in the day. They found that present arrangements worked very much better than anything formerly. Each committee managed its own local affairs, and all matters of importance the committees were agreed to consider jointly. The membership during the last twelve months had slightly in- ■ creased, but he thought it was a matter of regret that there were still a few factories which had not yet seen their way to join, more especially those in Canterbury. Apart from losing the direct benefits by becoming members of the Association, outside factories tended to hamper the Association in making proper freight arrangements. The direct benefits were many. Primage alone •—the sum of £3lO for the South Island, which was divided among the members, meant to many factories three or four times the amount of their annual subscriptions. It was hard to know why all the factories did not join, as every factory remaining outside the Association ivas considerably out of pocket. The balancesheet showed that the first item of revenue was subscriptions received, £149 10s. Another item was the Government subsidy, £l5O. He (the speaker) thought that it would be much more satisfactory to members if the subsidy could be done without. No doubt all connected with dairying had to thank the Government for the interest they had taken in the welfare of the industry, but he did not think that the Government should be asked to provide funds for the actual work of the Association. The next item (two refunds of £250 each to the Shaw, Savill and New Zealand Shipping Companies) was more in the nature of an allowance for value received, and under this head he thought that the Association would be quite justified in taking more if they could get it. The shipping companies acknowledged that the Association were of some use to them, and if the freights increased the loans would, he thought, continue. A cheese which had cost £l6 7s had been imported for the show to-morrow. No doubt members would take an opportunity of comparing it with their own. The fact of it coming out as general cargo was interesting in itself. He then moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. Mr J. Stevenson seconded the motion. In answer to a question the Chairman explained that the balance was £64. The motion was carried unanimously. office-bearers.

The following were nominated for vacancies on the Committee:—Messrs Duncan (Palmerston), Brydone (Dunedin), M'Gibbon (Mataura), Smaill (Inch Clutha), Henry (Canterbury), Wayte (Ocama Bridge), Milne (Wyudham). On a ballot being taken Messrs Henry, Brydone, Duncan, and M'Gibbon were elected. Mr John Stevenson (Henley) was elected president. COMPLIMENTARY. A vote of thanks was accorded the retiring president, who, in returning thanks, spoke in eulogistic terms of the work done by the secretary (Mr J. R. Scott). MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE. Mr Carlton (Ratanui) moved—" That in the event of the Ass .ciation becoming registered the question of a mutual fire insurance scheme be carefully considered by the Committee, and pub before members for adoption! "—Carried. THE SECRETARY. Mr Milne moved and Mr Dunlop seconded —" That the secretary devote his whole time to the service of the Association." Mr Carlton moved and Mr Stobo seconded—" That the question of the appointment of a secretary be left in the hands of the Executive." The amendment was carried. should the government chill butter. The next question for consideration was " whether the Government should continue to chill butter for shipment free of cost." Mr Carlton moved—"That the matter be struck off the order paper." Mr MacEwan said the Government had for two years continued to freeze butter for shipment free of cost. Now it was thought desirable, instead of spending so much money in freezing butter alone, to establish dairy experimental stations and small experimental farms. So far as he was concerned he would like to work hand in hand with dairymen, and if they thought it was desirable to withdraw from this expenditure in freezing butter, and divert the money into other channels, it would be for the general interests of the whole industry. He had found in the carrying out of his work during the last two years that there were certain people who would not make changes by which they could make a better quality of butter, and a lot of inferior quality of milled butter was sent to be frozen. Should the Government continue to freeze that butter? Now, what he submitted for the consideration of the Conference was this: that instead of paying for all qualities of butter the Government should pay for No. 1 quality. If that were done it would induce factories to send butter only of good quality to be frozen. Mr Carlton said, after Mr MacEwan's explanation, he would withdraw his motion. Mr Mac Gibbon moved—" That this Conference is of opinion that the Government should continue to freeze butter for shipment free of Co3t, but that in doing so they should only freeze butter of No. 1 quality." Mr Milne seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously; and, at the suggestion of Mr MacEwan, the Eecretary was instructed to forward a copy of the resolution to the Secretary of Agriculture. steamers' cool chambers. Mr MacEwan, in referring to the question of cool chambers in steamers and to the proper temperature in such chambers for cheese and butter, said that Mr Henry Gray, who had been appointed as inspector for New Zealand in Loudon, had reported that very uneven temperatures prevailed in the cool chambers, and it was found that cheese sometimes arrived in London in a damaged condition, owing to improper conditions in the freezing chambers. So far the reports went to show that up to the present time our butter that was sent Home arrived there in good condition, but this was not always the case with cheese, which was sometimes packed in chambers not adapted for the purpose. Mr Scott said he only knew of one shipment of cheese that went. Home that whs damaged. He did not think much of Mr Goy'a reports. There was too much temperature Jibour them nbogether. Mr Mosley : Doe* Mr Scott infer that M< Gray is a ni-in upon whom we cannot r.ly? Mr Scott : Y**, I do

Mr Wayte moved and Mr Macka seconded—"That the question of cool chambers in steamers be left in the hands of the Executive." Agreed to. BRANDING. Mr MacEwan brought under the notice of the Conference a brand for butter boxes, and Mr Carlton moved and Mr Kelly seconded—"That the brand submitted by Mr MacEwan be recommended to the Agricultural Department for adoption, and that, if necessary, legislative steps be taken to enforce it." Mr Bruce moved as an amendment—- " That in the opinion of this meeting the new method of branding shown by Mr MacEwan is a great improvement on the existing branding, and recommend it to the favorable consideration of producers." The amendment was carried.

UNIFORMITY OF BOXES. Mr MacEwan suggested the advisability of considering the question of the adoption of uniform butter boxes and cheese cases. He recommended the adoption of oblong butter boxes and twelve-sided cheese cases. Mr Carlton moved—"That it be a recommendation to the Executive that twelve-sided cheese cases be used, and that two cheese be packed in one case." The motion was seconded by Mr Kelly, and carried. On the motion of Mr Mac Gibbon it was also resolved—"That oblong butter boxes of a uniform size be adopted.'

Second Day.

Mr J. Mac Gibbon was chairman at the Dairy Conference on the second day. Mr J. D. Ritchie, secretary to the Agricultural Department, was present and received a hearty welcome. The Farmers' Association of Akaroa were affiliated as members of the Association. Mr Ritchie was asked whether it was the intention of the Government to withdraw the present representative at Home, or whether they intended to carry on his services. In replying, he said he thought that at the last meeting of the Conference here there was a recommendation made to appoint a representative. There were, he thought, one or two names submitted to the Government by gentlemen here, bub there seemed to be differences of opinion as to who should be appointed, and the Government having asked the Agent-General to appoint a gentleman in London he had appointed Mr Henry Grey. This gentleman had been in office three or four months, and he had just sent in a report, part of which would, he thought, appear in the newspapers, and the rest in the annual report. Mr Grey was new to harness yet, but there was a good deal in the report. He (Mr Ritchie) thought it was early yet to say whether Mr Grey was a proper man or not for the position. He saw by the papers that some did not think he was, but it was only proper that he should have a trial before an opinion was expressed. There was a long discussion on the subject, Mr Scott suggesting that a capable man like Mr MacEwan should be sent Home to represent the colony. It was eventually decided to defer consideration of the matter until Mr MaeEwan's views had been ascertained. The next question on the Order Paper was " Whether the Government should be asked to erect and equip a dairy experimental station in the South Island." DuriDg the conversational discussion that followed it was stated that there was no such station in the North Island, but Mr Ritchie said the department was trying to acquire land to erect such a station in the South Island. Finally it was dedecided to ask the Government to erect and equip a dairy experimental station in the South Island—an amendment in the direction of a negative motion being lost by four votes. Mr Cailtou moved—"That it be a strong recommendation to the Minister of Railways that the rates on dairy produce should be 7s 6d per ton up to twenty-five miles, and 10j per ton up to fifty miles, and 15s per ton for 100 miles and over." This (he said) would be on a graded scale, and the delegates well knew that the principle of gradation ran through all legislation. He thought that the excessive rates they had at present to pay on dairy produce out of all proportion to the rates on other goods. Mr Mac Gibbon was of opinion that the cheese and dairying industry was of more importance than the cattle, and the Government should bo requested to reduce the rates to the same rate as for grain. He suggested that the motion should be—"Thatdairy produce should be carried at the same rate as grain." The rate would then be, say from Gore to Dunedin, about lis per ton instead of 22s 6d, the present charge. Mr Carlton withdrew his motion in favor of Mr Mac Gibbon's, which was carried. The question of ocean freights was next taken up, and after hearing an expression of opinion from Mr Saott on the matter Mr Mac Gibbon moved—"That this Association approach the conference of the meatexporting companies in the colonies with a view to their co-operation in securing a reduction of the ocean freights." Upon the motion of Mr Duncan, it having been decided that in the interests of the dairying industry it was advisable that cowpox be removed from the schedule list of diseases, an interesting discussion arose upon the question of whether or not full compensation should be allowed in all cases where stock ia destroyed on account of tuberculosis, and whether such compensation should be paid out of the public funds. Upon the suggestion of the Chairman, the meeting finally agreed that half compensation should be paid to the stockowners out of the public funds. The meeting, before dispersing, passed a resolution expressing its deep regret that Mr John Sawera had severed his connection with the Government Dairy Department, a3 it was recognised that he had done excellent work in promoting and forwarding the best interests of the dairy industry.

Third Day. The Conference was resumed, Mr J. Stevenson (Henley) occupying the chair. The first business taken up was the consideration of sending an expert Home to help the sale of our dairy products. After considerable discussion it was decided to ask the Government to send Mr J. B. MacEwan Home at the end of the season to make inquiries and report to the next annual Dairy Conference. Mr A. Dickie (Mataura) moved—" That it is desirable that product markets with periodical sales for dairy produce be established in the chief trading centres of the colony, and that the Executive, together with Mr J. 13. MacEwan and the secretary, be a committee to make inquiries and report to the next Conference."—l his was seconded by Mr J. Mac Gibbon and carried. Mr J. Duncan (Shag Valley) moved—"That it is desirable that the enforcement of the use of aerators be left to the discretion of the factory managers."—Lost on the voice*.

Mr Milne (Wyndham) moved—" That it be a recommendation to the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association that cheese on expoit list of show programme be in the hands of the society at least six weeks hef««-e the s<bnw opens."—This was seconded by Mr Dunlop and carried. Upo i the motion of Mr IBDALE (Oamaru), eeoon led by Mr Bruce, it was decided to ask the Government to instruct their inspec tors to furnish reports to directors aud

owners after visiting dairy factories and farms. A hearty vote of thanks to Mr J. 15. MacEwan for his services, and a recommendation to the Government to secure his services as long as available, was, upon the motion of Mr MO3LEY (loch Clutha), carried by acclamation. The usual vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.