DAIRY INSTRUCTORS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 3, 3 July 1926, Page 11

DAIRY INSTRUCTORS

MARLBOROUGH WANTS ONE

AN EDUCATION THAT GETS

RESULTS.

An endorsement not only o£ the Dairying Division's farm instructors, but also of their working on the block system, so as to eliminate overlapping, was a feature of the annual meeting of the Marlbo.rough Dairy Comapnies' Association. It is stated that under the voluntary system the farm instructors have already brought under their beneficent sway 65 per cent, of the Dominion's dairy farms. . Thef meeting had before it the executive's annual report, which contained the following passage:— , "Dairy Farm Instructor. —Duving the past season a strong attempt was made by the executive to obtain the services of a Farm Dairy Instructor for this district. The Department offered, if the dairy companies in this district would co-operato with the. Department in engaging a Farm Dairy Instructor, to make the appointment, the Department to pay half the officer's salary, which was £320 per annum, the dairy companies to provide car and travelling expenses, and also to refund to the Department in equal monthly instalments amounts aggregating one-half the annual salary.. The cost of car and upkeep generally ran about £200 per. aunum. As one company was not favourable to the scheme, nothing was done. The position at present is that the executive : has decided to apply for an instructor without the company which is against I the scheme, providing tha dairy companies support this step. However, a further effort is being made to induce the company to again consider the matter, and it is hoped, it will fall into, lino with the other companies. The executive desires to thank Mr. Were, of the Dairy Division, for his effort and co-operation in endeavouring to bring about the appointment." As a result of discussion, the dissentient was apparently convinced, with the result that the way was cleared for the association to apply unitedly to the Department for a dairy instrudt'or for Marlborough. The chairman, Mr. J. B. Barnett, said he had found that the Department in Wellington had a better idea of the importance of the'industry in Marlborough, now that the association has ben formed, and realised that when the association ■ spoke it spoke for the industry and was not merely the voice of one company. He stressed the value of dairy instructors, in improving the. grade of both butter and cheese, which had been the experience in all- parts of New Zealand where instructors were available. •

Another item in the association's annual report reads: "Wellington Harbour Board Improvement Hate. —A good deal of correspondence passed between the association and the Wellington Harbour Board in roference to the Harbour Board rate on dairy produce, as an outcome of which Mr. Moss, a member of the Harbour Board, moved that exemption bo. granted for dairy produce apart from what cool store it is stored in. However, this was not carried, but your executive approached the Co-op. Dairy Producers' Freezing Co., Wellington, which has agreed to refund to those exporting cheese from Marlborough the amount of the harbour improvement rate, viz., Is 3d per ton.-''