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Evening Star, Issue 14413, 8 July 1910, Page 4

Without question the printing press belonging to tho Dominion State is doing valuable work in Literature, many directions, notwithstanding the fact that in our economical moods the annual printer’s bill is criticised somewhat severely. There may bo justification for this in more than one direction, particularly when an eyo is cast on tho ponderous ami costly 'Blue Books that are never cut and the reams of reports that are never read. But admitting this will not prevent a hearty welcome being given to the latest production of State literature in. the shape of the ‘Journal of New Zealand,’ issued by the Department of Agriculture. Parliamentary returns may proclaim their lessons to deaf etna, ‘ Hansard ’ may be classed amongst costly and unnecessary expenditure, but the bulletins and instructive reports published in the best interests of our producing industries can have none other than beneficial effects, particularly when the valuable information supplied in printed form is supplemented by personal instruction given by the inspectors connected with the various branches of rural industry. Such an excellent start, has been made with the first issue of the journal that its appearance monthly hereafter will, it may safely be predicted, be received with increasing interest. To those engaged in the dairy industry the fund of information supplied is very complete, and is specially valuable because of the details given in connection with co-oiierativo dairy fanning. The contributor of this information is Mr W. F. Gwillim, the Government Dairy Instructor, who sets out, in what he very properly calls plain talk,” tho requisite information to farmers and others interested in the promotion and working of co-operative dairy companies for the manufacture of butter and cheese. With that commendable purpose before him Mr Gwillim discusses the relative profits attached to butter and checsemaking, and shows that the net returns from either are equally good. He then goes on to discuss the respective merits of butter factories, skimming stations, and “ home, separation ” for the purpose of supplying cream to butter factories. He declares that' the latter system, according to experience gathered in New Zealand and other countries, supplies a distinctly lower grade of cream. As butter and cheese factories are on the increase in the Dominion, and are likely to ho multiplied considerably in time to come, estimates of the cost of establishing these factories are given in detail so clearly that they can be very readily “ understanded of the people ” not' possessed of much school learning. These estimates show that tho equipment of a good butter factory, with a manager's house and outbuildings, capable of dealing with tho milk from SCO cows, will cost from £1.500 to £1,700, and a skimming station ro ded with the same quantity of milk about £I,OOO lees. To make this information more complete, the plant required is yet out in detail from engine and boiler to the cream pasteuriser. In addition the requisites for'a suitable factory site are particularised, as well as tho buildings necessary for carrying on tho business in the most satisfactory maimer. _ Those who contemplate embarking in this enterprisewill be still further assisted by complete instructions as to how a company should Ire formed, together with pro forma memorandum and articles of-association and bylaws. In fact, the article contributed by Mr Gwillim forms a very complete handbook to the dairying industry that should go a long way to prevent initial mistakes m tho formation of such companies, as well as giving valuable bints for the proper management of those already in existence. 'lbis "contribution to dairy farming literature has. however, an aspect that makes it deeply interesting to the whole community : it shows in the- clearest possible manner the value and practicability of the co-operative principle in trade. There are now 380 registered dairy factories in the Dominion, some of them having been in existence for twenty years. When the industry was in its infancy our total export of butter was 37,955cwt and of cheese 7,635cwt, but these quantities steadily increased. In the season 1902-03 our exports in this direction were 263,180cwt of blitter, valued at £1.268.759, and cheese 74,600cwt, valued at £181,604. The exports of butter for 1909-10 totalled 322.600cwt, valued at £1,635,373, and cheese 441,780cwt, valued at £1,186,708. The value of these exports during the past seven years shows, therefore, tho very satisfactory increase of £1,371,718, or over 94 per cent. Great as this growth is, the full extent of our producing capabilities has not nearly been reached, for the markets of the United Kingdom seem to be insatiable, and even our last season’s record production was only 6J per cent, of the butter and 14 per cent, of tho cheese placed upon the British market. It is also noteworthy that during.this same period the supplies of butter ponied into Great Britain have not greatly increased from European countries, the most notable advance coming from Siberia. Australia, in 1903, sent the

Mother Country 1,053 tons of butter, and increased that supply to 16,180 tons* in 1909 ; but the cheese exports during that period have been quite a negligible quantity. In fact, our Australian neighbors in 1908 (despite a hostile tariff) were customers for our cheese to the Extent of 122 tons, while their exports for some years have been of an experimental nature, and mostly they export nothing in the form of cheese. With this satisfactory record of co-operation in connection with the dairying industry, Mr Gwillim strikes the right note when, in his interesting article, he says : For the employment of labor and the exercise of intelligence dairying offers a field of the widest range, and, de-

manding as it does constant attention, has the compensating advantage of providing regular and constant employment. To tno home-loving family dairying directly appeals. Remunerative employment under the healthiest conditions is possible for all capable hands within the family circle, and a love of home, with its chastening influences, can be engendered in all and enjoyed to the full; and in the attainment of those advantages the manufacture of butter and cheese by co-operative dairy companies is an aid of tho highest value. The same advantages can bo derived from the application of co-operative working in other industries; but our workers lamentably fail to realise this, notwithstanding the conspicuous successes furnished from tho Mother Country and Europe. Elsewhere gigantic businesses have pursued their prosperous careers in spite of capitalistic opposition, and have sprung from the most modest beginnings, backed up by a spirit of self-reliance that is characteristic of the race. There is no branch of trade that lias not been able by co-operation to divide amongst the workers the whole of tho profits of their industry without calling in State aid or patronage. Here, where the workers are ko happily situated that wages are high and the hours of labor short, not a finger is lifted by them to bring about their own salvation from what is stupidly called “wage slavery.” The hated capitalist has, of course, helped the dairying industry, but, as capitalist, the State has done its share in distributing bulletins broadcast, sending out intelligent inspectors from the Agricultural Department, and importing pedigreo stock to increase tho percentage of butter fat to tho gallon of milk. The shipping capitalist has likewise lent a helping hand, for a reasonable consideration, in transporting our produce to the British markets. There is still tho open, unfilled field for tho co-operative butcher, baker, miller, builder, and every other trade. Tho New Zealand workers can, without Parliament or in spite of it, .abolish the Capitalist and tho middleman if they will. But if they will not, who is to make them 1 Tho best friends of New' Zealand workers may well wonder how much longer the triumphs of co-operation are to be declared from tho housetops, and illustrated by producers at their doors, without stimulating them to a proper appreciation of the opportunities within their reach.