DAIRY INDUSTRIES. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume XL, Issue 63, 13 September 1890, Page 2 (Supplement)

DAIRY INDUSTRIES. TO THE EDITOR.

Sm— With your permission I shall bo glnrt if allowed to state my views through tho medium of your paper. The Local Industries Committee, in tho House of Representatives, having drawn up thoir report, I suppose we shall bo in poHscHHion of it in full iv tho course of a week or two. I noticed some time back tho ovidenco in tho local papors, especially that portion pertaining to dairying industries, with some of which I entirely disagreed if tho report was correctly printed ; but being a stranger here, having only recently arrived by tho s.b. Dorio, I did not thon think it necessary on my part to m»ko publio comments, nor did I express a wish to give evidenco before tho Cotnraitteo ; however, in the moantimo, nfter duly considering tho matter, I have thought it well to oxpretm my views through the press, if permitted. In tho first place I have not tho least doubt but that this promising colony will ultimately develop itself Into producing a vory large quantity of these dairy product ; and if care Is taken tho business will become far moro lucrativo to tho producers and dealers than It has boon in the punt. I may state that I have had along and largo oxporienco iv the English claMsea of cheose, cspecialjy Lancashire and Cheshire), as well as in Canadian and American oheeao and butter, —a time covoring pretty nearly 30 yoara— no what I have to say on the subject I hope will bo accepted on it« merits. I noticed a report in the local pupers of some evidence given before the Committee, a sentonce or observation with which I entirely disagree; it was ba follows (speaking on N. 21. cheese) : — " And not put in competition with Canadian or American." I take it to mean that N.Z. oheeie would not compete with either. I say it will be put in competition with both, and with evory other class of cheese made and shipped to tho English market for sale.' And why not compete ? lam miro you can produce an articlo in cheeso whioh can, and will, hold its own, and make its way in tho English consumption. You have advantages in your noil, pasturage, and herbage, the peculiarities of which are, it would appear, highly favourable to tho production of a flrat-clasH article, and it will certainly make its way very largely into consumption, and will ovontuully makes its way into parts of Great Britain where, Indeed, ut tho present titno it has not beon heard of. Somo ohanges should be made in the get-up or style in whioh the urtjolo ia shipped, giving it a more attractive form ; would it not bo possible to estubltah a Cheese Box Factory tho same as they havo in Canada or America ? The goods would then bo in a proper form for holding, getting advances on, or shipping. 1 presume that ultimately cheese will tako tho sway in your dairy produoto. If I romombor rightly 3tb of onecso can bo made for one pound of buttor. I know some Canadian and American makers do this when a cheese maker is engaged partly upon the output of weight from a givon quantity of milk supplied to the faotory. Thore is nlso much loss risk with ohoese than butter ia shipping, and without doubt cheese will put most money into the pockets of the producers and dealers. If it was reported corrootly something was said before the Committee that you were about perfect in the making of a cheese ; quite no, this applies only to tome, and not to all, far from, it. I would ask tho question, Do tho account sales recoived here warrant this oonolusion ? There Biiroly must be different E rices for separate lots, as I have seen in liverpool 10a. to 16s. per owt. variation in valuoa of N.Z. cheose. I could carry you into seotions in Canada whore there aro cotnblnationa of factories which sell altogether, or make contracts, all at one price, tho production being so equal in quality as to values ; and no maa who thoroughly understand^ his businces as to the oheose, could mako a difference of more than la. or la. 6d. per owt. right through the great cheese produoing sections. Ido not think you have arrived at this stage of perfection here, as to uniformity of vialce and quality. If yon were to go to any town in the colony the aontrary of this could be proved hy examining ohoese from one store to another, or iv your largest produoing sections. Ido say here you can, and some do, make ohoeso that can hold their productions in the face of the world, whilst thore ore others that cannot ; by all moans all study to make lite bt»t, as common or inferior will not W« to j>roduce here for the English market. When you conlidor the charges inourrod ia the shipment you will always be out-flanked with common and lower-priced goods shipped from other sources to the Home market. With regard to employing experts on butter making, that is very good ; at the same time I think if exports of some of your own best makers of cheeso wero employed in a similar capacity on ohoese, it would be money well spent, as I fool certain chease will return most money if caro ia taken that the beat article is produced and shipped, as it appoara, aa I have beforo stated, you havo the soil, pasturage, and herbage to produce it ; and feel certain ia my mind there ia a great future before you in the production of this article of consumption for the British raorkot, ».«. if the colony of N.Z. and old England are " not going to the dogs," and if they do they will still want some good "oheeaoand bread." lam, &c, Wit. Jas. Parkinson. Wellington, Sept. 10th, 1890.