Proposed Creamery for Colyton.

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 143, 23 May 1893, Page 2

Proposed Creamery for Colyton.

A well-attended meeting was held at Colyton on Saturday evening last for tho purpose of discussing the advisability of starting a creamery for that district. Mr W. G. Pearce was voted to the chair. The chairman said he did not think it was necessary to make ft speech, as everyone present was aware of the object of the meeting. He would call upon Mr Sawers, the dairy expert, to address them. Mr Sawers said he was very pleased to be with them that evening, hecause he had made a study of the question, and he would be glad to render them any assistance he could, He had been through the district that day and he was certain that this neighbourhood, and the country around Feilding, was unsurpassed in New Zealand. His opinion was that the dairying industry conld only be assured by the factory system. He was told that many factories had turned out failures, but he was only aware of two in the whole country which had turned out unsuccessfully, and that was owing to the incompetency of tha directors and bad management, The information now procurable, and the instruction given to manufacturers, had entirely obviated these risks of failure, and if companies were established, each on a sound basis, they must turn out successes and prove of great benefit to the smaller settlers. Mr Spencer had had great experience in the South Island and would, no doubt, ' favour them with his views. If the settlers could make dairying a success around Tai Tapa, much more possible would it be in this district, where the grass is so much better than there. Mr Spencer said that, five or six years ago it was not so easy to start these factories. Speaking as a practical^ farmer, this district is far before Tai Tapu. About here they have grass all the year round, whereas in Tai Tapu there are some months when it does not grow. If a creamery were started, he presumed it would be in connection with the Cheltenham factory. There was ample room for three factories about here. It would pay farmers to keep a dairy of 20 cows and employ labour. A man in this neighbourhood farming only 100 acres should be in a grand position. He thought cows should bring in 110 a year apiece. In Mr Sawers they had ft practical man who was backed up by ths Government. The speaker concluded by courteous reference to the press, who h:id been yery good in these matters, and deserved praise for the publicity they had given to this subject. Mr Pearce said he and Mr Pulney ha gone into the matter with Mr Spencer, and it rested for the meeting to say whether they would so hand in hand with the Cheltenham factory or start one of their own. Would Mr Spencer inform the meeting on what terms they could go in with them ? Mr Spencer said 250 shares and 250 cows should be found by their district if they J desired to become an adjunct to the Cheltenham factory, which is a cooperative concern managed by practical men. If they only started with 250 cows and found in after years they were able to stand alone they conld do so. Their company consisted of 1000 shares of £2 each, and it was not intended to call up more than 10s per share, except for extending their business. In reply to an enquirer, Mr Pearce thought possibly 300 shares would be taken \ip. Mr Pudney— Would the milk from 300 cows bo sufficient to start a factory here ? Mr Sawers would advise 400 as a minimum number, though 250 cows would suftice for a creamery. He considered Mr Spencer's proposition a very reasonable one. Mr Pudney — Would the same size separator be requisite for a creamery as a factory ? Reply — Yes, but one man would be sufficient to do all tho work in a creamery, Testing is done by a special machine, which will treat 192 samples simultaneously. If cheese WGre made, it depends on how the milk is treated as it is a. more complicated and difficult process. Mr Hills asked what was the best breed of cow. Mr Sawers replied, a Shorthorn and Ayrshire cross, or a strain of Jersey in it. A email areator should be used for cooling the milk, which would cost 6s. Query — Would the company be propared to take the cream from them '? Mr Speucer replied, No, it would not bo feasible. A never-failing water supply should be available. They could start a butter factory rather than a creamery, it was immaterial. The cheese plant conld be erected for about a .£IOO less than a creamery. Query — Would it not bo far better to make cheese and send it home ? Reply — Butter, fresh frqm the churq, would always command better markets, but prices would fluctuate more than for cheese. Victorian butter has hitherto commanded a better price than Now Zealand, owing to more attention being given to the industry there, and also to the fact that here the trado has been chiefly carried out on a smaller scale, mainly by individuals only. Hence, Victorian butter fetches hotter prices, as it is chiefly factory made, although he knew of two instances in which Now Zealand had topped the London market. Mr Spencer remarked that 70 per cent of New Zealand factory-made butter had beon purchased by private individuals for export. He had always found that the milk of more than tho guaranteed number of cows came to hand. It is quite possible to keep the milk good even in the hottest weather. The evening and rnorniug milk should be kept separate. Mr Sawers mentioned that at Dalefield, in tho Wairarapa, and in Taranaki, there were cheese factories which had turned out great successes. They were each dealing with 3000 gallons a day, and the first two shipments reulized 54s to 56a in London, and Glasgow, which meant 4d per gallon for the milk. Cheddars from TQlbs to Blbs were principally made in Now £ea}ai)d. Mr Spencer considered, that butter making was the woro preferable, at any rate, as regards tho Cheltenham district, though others might be in favour of cheese. Tai Tapu paid 4 l-sd, and Dalefield about the sutne. Ho would far rather feed his cows on skimmed milk than on whey, a remark which Mr Sawers endorsed. "With a cheese factory they would only be able to work some eight or nino months, whereas butter could practically be made all tho year round. A voto of thanks, moved by Mr Revington Jones, to Mr Sawers for his able address, and also to Messrs Templer and Spencer, of Cheltenham, for their presence, was carried unanimously It was decided to hold another meeting on Saturday next, to consider whether a creamery or factory be started. . Votes of thanks to the chairman, and to the Sr.vn and Advocate representatives, closod the proceedings.