THE WINTER SHOW.

Evening Star, Issue 11251, 26 May 1900, Page 3

THE WINTER SHOW.

The large attendance yesterday brought thy total “ gate ” takings up to £SQ9. A i 'iY 51 "'*-' of '. ne,nber < <>f the New Zcaland Flock Association was held yesterdaj-. -Mr Patulln presided, and amongst those piesent were Messrs (t. Roberts, J. Holme(Jßenheim), Watson Shennan, and M. Murphy (secretary to the Association). The meeting was called for the purpose of inviting an expression of opinion on a resolution passed at a meeting of breeders held in Ohi.stcmn’ch at. the ram fair in March last, that tho flock hook should be opened for admission of flocks, especially merino nocks, which, although they were eligible m 1895, when tho book was'first published, ftoiu one cause or another remained out. It was unanimously resolved to uphold the resolution passed at Christchurch, and it was decided to relegate the question to the North Island breeders at a meeting to bo held during the Agricultural Conference in Wellington.

J.ho Austrian Hand played in the evening, and the iStcelc-Paync Bellringers also guve an entertainment.

A number of tho Industrial School children were present yesterday by invitation. -Mr 1. Iv. Kirk, of tho Agricultural Department, to-day showed his private collection of weeds. The collection i s divided into live sections (1) Spiny plants and burrs that damage wool, (2) weeds of cultivated lands, (o) weeds of grass lands, (4) parasitic weeds, and (5) weeds that choke watercourses. Messrs J. A. Ruddick. J. A. Kinsella, A. A IholTilon, and J. T. Lang, of the Agricultural Department, went north by the express to-day en route to Wellington. They will attend the annual conference of butter and chcescmakers at Stratford at the end of next week.

At one. of yesterday's meetings of fanners air J. L. V, atsnn said as that was the last meeting at which Mr Ruddick would be pie.-iiit thei sliould recognise his services to the colony and their regret that family considerations necessitated his removal. The ■value nf the services Mr Riuklk’k had vendered to the dairying industry fully entitled him |o such a resolution. He would move that tills meet lug desire to place on u’cni'd their appreciation of the valuable services rendered to the dairying industry by Dir Ruddick. and their regret that family coiisidciatiqns necessitate his removal from the colony. Mr J. Milne, president of the National Daily Association, seconded the motion. He bad been brought into contact with Dir Ruddick more perhaps than any other person in this part of the colony, and hr had a.ways found his. advice very valuable. 'Tho National Dairy Association would feel the absence of Mr Ruddick very much, although they hilly believed that Mr Kinsella, would prove, an able successor. Mr Ruddick thanked the meeting very heartily foi the way I hey had responded to the resolution. and he thanked the dairymen and the people of the colony for the friendly way in which he had been treated, and took that occasion of publicly thanking those who had extended such kindness to him on many occasions. .

A vole of thunks tn the Agricultural and Pastoral Society for allowing dairymen and others (he use of the Board Room and the Victoria. Hall wa-s carried yesterday, and the, chairman acknowledged (he compliment on behalf of the society. THK DAIRY INDUSTRY. At the afternoon sitting. Air .1, E. Watson said he desired to take the opportunity of discussing questions affecting the dairy trade. He wished to hear testimony to the value of the (lovornment department to this industry. The question he desired particularly to refer to was that of Turing cheese upon tile graders’ reports. At ‘the annual meeting of the Dairy Association, a resolution in connection with this matter had been carried. He would have been glad if the Association had allowed buyers to express themselves upon the subject'at the meeting, hut, unfortunately, the. Association had not allowed them to take part in tho discussion, so that he had been obliged to postpone what he had to say to the present occasion. It was a, phy the Association had passed the resolution, because he did not think the question had been adequately ventilated. The resolution adopted was to the effect that, they did not agree with the practice of factories selling cheese on the basis of the grader’s report.. Probably there was a good deed to l)e said on both sides, but ns one who had been engaged in the export trade for some years, he thought both sides ought to have been heard before any definite conclusion was arrived at. Tn his opinion, factories really ought to welcome the introduction of such a principle, instead of deprecating it. They could not expect any men to embark in trade and to buy goods unless they had some reasonable guarantee that the quality would be correct. It was also convenient in connection wdth dealing with the Horae linns to supply them with cheese that had been purchased according to official grade ; the effect, of so doing would probably prevent many disputes and vexatious litigation. Mr J. R. Scott said that for a great number of years bo had dealt with different factories, and had bought large quantities of cheese, and, so far as he was aware, no difficulties had arisen with regard to the point of quality that had not been easily settled. Where factories liked to sell on “ grade,” ho did not see why they should nob do so. Tho resolution that had been passed would not prevent any factory making arrangements of that character. Air Ruddick desired to remove the impression that the grading was done upon an examination of a small proportion of the cheese. Owing to the irregularity in quality they were obliged to examine a large proportion in order to get at the average quality. Everything that was possible was done to make the grading fair, and the examination was more expensive than that which would be conducted by purchasers. Air Milne, the president of the National Dairy Association, said that he had no objection at all to selling upon “ grade,” but he thought that in the meantime the Association had taken a very wise step. . Air James ATLauchlan said that the National Association had not been consulted as to what should be first grade, and he thought that as at present earned on it would not be wise for the Association to approve of selling by ‘‘grade.”

Mr J. B. MacEwan said that in establishing the class or quality in reference to the selling of cheese the work had not been done by the buyers alone. When the question of quality was raised it was said that 88 points represented what was taken as first-class butter, and the question was asked why not make it the same as with cheese? The matter had been one of mutual arrangement. The buyers had agreed to give the factories the margin of from 88 to 100, and the factories had agreed to accept that. MILK AT THE FACTORIES. Yesterday afternoon Mr M'Gowan addressed a meeting on the subject of ‘The Condition and Supervision of Milk at Our Factories.’ Mr A. C. Begg uresided. Mr M’Cnwan said that there was need of considerably move attention being devoted to supervision than had been the case at most factories in the past. He. believed this feature of dairy work prevented more room for improvement than almost any other. There was no doubt they should have to give it careful and immediate attention if they wished to attain or retain a foremost position in the manufacture of a high-class article in dairy produce. After dealing with the unsatisfactory condition in which milk is presented at many of the factories and creameries, and speaking on the vexed question as to who was primarily responsible for (he continuance of this state of affairs, Mr M’Oowan said : The first and most important thing is to induce the milk suppliers to practise cleanliness when dealing with the milk at all times, and as a good example, is generally productive of more good than any amount of preaching, see that you arc not lacking yourself in this essential quality in anything connected with vour factory or appliances, and remember that tlie very best milk can be spoiled if manipulated in an impure atmosphere where it is exposed to contamination by tilth germs. Do not assume that your milk suppliers are versed in Ihc approved methods of treatment of milk, but consider it your special duty to educate them in this work, and when you are assured that they know just how to go about it commence your work of strict supervision, always using as your niain argument that it is a question of pounds, shillings, and pence to them. Point out- that

it is- in their interests you wish for improvement, and the sounder the condition of the milk on its arrival at the factory the more likely is the resultant produce to be of fine-quality, which in turn will mean higher prices and readier sales. Also point out that if milk is allowed to remain in the milk-cans uncooled and unstirred during warm weather the cream will rise and toughen, and on being carted to the factory in the morning will not readily dissolve and mix with the milk again, but will break up into clots, which will in all ore* liability carefully avoid the dipper when the daily sample is taken. This will mean lower tests than should he the case, and, I say, just punishment for their neglect. Do not aim to achieve too much at first, but commence leniently, gradually raising your standard as your milk-producers fail into line. Bo firm and steadfast, in your purpose, and, above all, avoid growling. Mr Ruddick said that an experiment had been made by the Taiori and Peninsula Association to do away with the woodv smell which the butter became, impregnated with after being in the boxes. The experiment was to coat the interior of the box with paraffin wax. Paraffin wax entered into a combination with hut very few chemicals, and it did not enter into a combination with anything in the butter. It was comnletclv odorless. In Canada it was universally used to prevent the butter from acquirin'; a woody taste. The wood used jn the boxes there rendered this precaution more, necessary than was the case with New Zealand wood used in making butter boxes. When he came here first he was astonished that nothing like this was used, but when he afterwards saw what wood the boxes were made of he recognised the precaution was necessary. It improved the'butter, and as every little thing told it should he tried. Ihe boxes were heated before the wax was put on, as the wax dried very rapidly, and n it were put on to the cold wood it would be calculated to crack and peel off. It cost about a halfpenny per box in Canada, but therethere was so much crude petroleum that paraffin wax was cheap. The wax could be obtained from the Standard Oil Company.