THE GOLDEN COW.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 32, 7 February 1908, Page 6

THE GOLDEN COW.

The number of dairy cows in New Zealand is approximately 600,000. Last I year, besides meeting local demand, those cows produced for export 164,0C0 tons of butter, and nearly 12,000 tons of cheese. The butter realised £1,600, 000, and the cheese £660,000— total £2,260,G00. The 1907 §oJd export foi New Zealand was £2,027,000. The cow is tho bettor goldmine. Dairy produce is now third on the list of New Zealand exports. First, and far in advance, comes wool ; then frozen meat; then butter and cheese not far behind. And the Tongariro's butter shipment raises hope* lor the dairy industry to the height of record prices. The average export price of butter per owfc. in 1905 was £4 17s sd ; in 1007, £4 18s 4d ; but the Tongariro butter, quoted at £6 8s- on the London market in advance of arrival, is report-* ed to have realised £6 10s. To-day's cables report prices £6 18s ! Probably the average price of tho cargo was less ; but it could not have been much less. £6 10s per cwt.' equals all but Is 2d per ) Ib, and anything over 9d per lb means money in the bank for the New Zea- ! land dairyman. The shipment of over j 47,000 boxes is believed to be the heaviest we have ever sent away ; and the profit is shared among half-a-dozan dis- I tricts— with Auckland^ New Plymoath, and Wellington loading. Tho apparent superiority over pricen of Danish butter may have been due to explainable cnuses, and must await confirmation. The news is cheering in this cheerless time of drought, and it shows the potentiality of tho industry. Tho d?iry industry, is* a small man's industry. Great fortunes are not amassed in it ; but the forty thousand families or thereabouts who aro employed can all hope to reach a gross income of £400 to £500 a year from 50 cows pasturing on from 100 to 150 acres of land. The average cow yields 2001b {,1 hntiet yearly, worth at Is per lb £10. The rest ia a profitable addition sum that is now being calculated all over Now Zealand. This country hv soil and climate is especially adapted to tho dairy industry. Many a man in fhe last dozen years has embaikcd upon that industry, and by living frugally and working hard h?.5 won his way to competence. An 6 many who have succeeded have como to the work horn other trades, lacking special knowledge of dairying. In making their own modest fortunes they are making New Zealand's fortune as well. We give them honour and con-t gratulation.