DAIRY PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 131, 6 June 1925, Page 8

DAIRY PARLIAMENT

THE COMING CONFERENCE INVITATION FROM HAWERA IMPORTANT BUSINESS TO BE . DONE. I After meeting for many years at Palmerston North the annual conference of the "National Diary Association decided to meet elsewhere. Last year its annual -meeting -was held at Auckland; this year tho venue is Hawera. The conference, as usual, will be attended by dairy factory representatives from all parts of the Dominion and representatives of merchants and exporting firms .•will also be present. The membership numbers 282. A credit balance of £403 is reported. : . . .

Visitors will be entertained while in Hawera, aud among the attractions are ;v trip to Dawson's Flat, Mount Egmont, pictures at tho Hawera. Opera House, and Motor drives .round "the district. In addition to the business of ■ the ' conference there will be addresses on the following subjects: "Grading o£■Dairy-Pro-duce," by Mr. W. M. Singleton, Dairy Commissioner ;.~"New Zealand Govern--Tucnt Railways," by. Mr. Rodie, of the -Department; "Legal Points." by Mr. R. •Kennedy, the- association's solicitor; •"Herd Testing," -'by* Messrs. W. Grounds, D. Fulton, C. M. Hume, and 0.. Jnnu; -"Dairy Control," by Mr. Grounds, chairman of tho -ControlLoardj and there will be a social gathering to delegates in the show building. - The annual report of the association will be presented. It shows that a steady increase in butter-fat production is recorded; there was a fellim* off in cheese, but a substantial advance in the_ output of butter. Gradings for the period August to April showed 67 310 tons butter, or 19.2 per cent, increase: 04,041 tons cheese, or 2 per cent, decrease. The increase converted into but-ter-fat was 11.8 per cent. NEW ZEALAND IN BRITAIN. Of the imports of butter into Great Hno l£:, dvi'in S 1924 ' amounting to 5,292,761 cwts, 1,085,667 cwts were from v CW ol a cnn, d-0f im PoHs of cheese totalling 2,889,459 cwts, New ■ Zealand was I%Tqa- ed l^ljf 9.842 cwts, Canada 1,005,98 a cwts. The quota of New Zeajjnd butter of the above imports was & per cent.;-of cheese 51 per cent. ... " QUALITY. Reference is made in the report to the inoperative need of the maintenance or a high standard of quality. Hope is centred in tho establishment of a research laboratory. . ■ Compulsory grading of raeam is recognised as probably the most important , question before the butter manufacturing branch, of the industry at the present time. The system at compulsory arauuig. was voluntarily adopted by the North Auckland factories about twelve years ago, and the very great improvement of quality of the outputs which Jia3 resulted therefrom- has proved the "wisdom of the adoption of the system The principle should be further considered, and receive the active support of a substantial number of the companies before good progress can be made towards its universal adoption; "In view of the increasing competition of rival producing countries and the probable prejudicial effect that such competition will have on the marketing of'bur butter,' we should do everythang possible not only to maintain our present hiV'h standard of output, but to still further raise the quality so that we may fear,no rivals Ihe adoption of a system of cream grading must necessarily "result in an° improved quality of output with consequent^ financial-advantage to the producers. The further discussion of this matter deserves the serious consideration of air interested." ' " USE OF PRESERVATIVES. ■■' ■' The report refers to the report of the committee which was set up by the Br: tish Government to inquire into the desirability of allowing the use of preservatives in butter imported into Britain. The executive sought to obtain the opinion of the industry in regard thereto. A verbatim copy of the -recommendation contained, in the report was accordingly sent out to all companies, and they were asked, to express their views thereon .in order that the executive might have the support of the industry in. any representations that were made. "It is, however, much to be regretted that 3. large number, of. tho companies apparently-did not consider that the niaitef was of sufficient importance to give it any consideration, and to reply Io I.'ne circular letter. Should the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee be given offacf.lo, f.he importation into'"Rri--I:\hi of any butter containing even tho slightest tvaco of preservatives will be absolutely' prohibited after a certain dato." .;...': "During the year an alteration in (he j:rado points was determined upon by the Agricultural Department, and came into force as from Ist January, 1925. In milking the alteration the Department was no doubt largely influenced" by the Jrcquently-expressed opinion of the industry as a whole, and it is confidently hoped the raising of the standard of the grades was not only desirable, but that it has also had a beneficial effect on the quality of the manufactured* article with a consequent improvement in relation to the market values." "FREIGHTS AND SHIPPING. 'Although shipping freights have been reduced on butter and cheese for export, they are still 60 per cent, and 75 per cent, respectively above pre-war rates. "However," states the report, "when the largely increased co?t of-all matters relating to tho running of ships is taken into consideration, the new contract may be regarded as fairly satisfactory insofar as freight rates are concerned. In regard to matters other than freight rates, actual experience only can disclose as to whether many desirable improvements, some of which are of vital importance to the industry, have been brought about. . . . We" ate of the opinion that the amount of insulated tonnage provided for the carriage of dairy produce under the old and new contracts; can be termed 'satisfactory,' especially when we consider that space hail to be provided for an additional 500,000 boxus of liuLtcr, as compared with the previous twelve months' requirements, °Uioii);ii cheese shipments showed a l'alling-off "of approximately 85.000 crates, thu equivalent in space of about 250,000 boxes ul liulter. It is" to be regretted, however, that greater quantities of the early season's make-of butter -did not reach the Home markets before tins end of DeceinJie.r, when supplies I'rojn oLher countries orminienee to arrive and pi-ices usually decline in sympathy with the supply. »cry available steamer, however, was filled,-and we are assured by the Shipowners' Committee that, provided sufii- ■ rient notice- is given, ample tonnage can h? made available to lift promptly our early season's make." COASTAL CARRIAGE. )t i? note.:!' with ?ati?{ar.tion llial the Union St.sam Ship Company ir"at . pr'i- } sent, building a now refrigerated s-hip to

replace the Coriima,* and it is hoped to have this steamer available for the coming season's requirements. With tho enormous increase in the gradings at Wanganui it was necessary to find a ship for the trade from this port, and the Canterbury Steam Ship Company, is to be commended for providing the Breeze, insulated and refrigerated for this trade alone. The Taranaki Shipping Company has controlled dairy produce shipments from Patea. for many years. That company has now three ships con- | fcinually engaged in the Patea-Wellington I trade. ....." HERD TESTING. "It is gratifying to note (states the report) that interest in dairy herd improvement has "become more general throughout many of our dairying districts^ There has been a considerable increase in tho number of herds and number of dairy cows on test for yield, and tlhe future promises further exten ■ sion of this valuable work. It is becoming more generally recognised that the information gleaned from herd testing is a potent factor towards inducing more daiiry farmers to head their herds with_ pedigreed bulls of butter-fat record backing. Better breeding has a direct, influence towards reducing. the costs of biitter-fati production, and it is by more economical production that the producer can do most to offset tho influence of any decline in prices which our ..butter-' and- cheese may sustain in the world's mavkcts. The production of New Zealand's average cow, although creditable when compared with othel countries, is still. capable of much improvement." The association has made arrangements to enable factories to obtain supplies of boxes and crates direct from I Sweden. The- association has acquiried the dairy .machinery business of Charles • Dahl .and Co., Palmerston North, and is i!vdw supplying factories with equipment. The executive places on record its deep appreciation of assistance rendered to the industry by the Hon. W Nosworthy, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. G. J. Ileakes, Director-General, Mr W M. Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division and the members of his staff. Ihe following directors retire, who are elegible for .reflection,-with the exception of Mr. H. D. Forsyth, who is not seeking re-election :—Auckland, Mr E ■ Allen; Taranaki, Mr. H. D. Forsyth-. Wellington, Mr. T. Moss; Hawkes Bay' Mr. J. Gildea. The following nominations have been received .-—Auckland Mr. E. Allen; Taranaki, Mr. J. 11 Corngan of Hawera; Mr. H. M. Purdie, of Motonni; Mr. S. V. Vickers, . of Omata; Mr. W. H. Were,, of Toko* Mr T A. Winks of Ararat*- Mr. R. B Sutton of Inglewood. Wellington, Air. xi. Bond, of Bainesse; Mr F Maul, of Ashhurst; Mr. T. Moss, of Newman, Hawkes Bay, Mr. J. Gildea of Maharahara. Messrs. E. Allen, of Cambridge/ and J. Gildea, of Maharafn^'l ai A t l h, ere*ore ' elected unopposed for the Auckland and Hawkes Bay districts respectively. ■