NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 25 June 1924, Page 6

NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

A GREAT INDUSTRY. REMARKABLE PROGRESS. (By Telegraph.—Special Reporter.) AUCKLAND, June 24. In his annual review at the National Dairy Conference, the president (Mr. A. Morton) said, regarding production last season, that in view of the two extraordinary good years previously experienced it was felt that there would be a considerable falling off in volume, but owing to the favourable climatic conditions for growth production had been almost equal to the previous year. Continuing, he quoted figures from the report showing the remarkable increase, in the value of butter and cheese made up from the official figures of the Customs Department. In 1895—thirty years ago—butter valued at £263,241 was exported, and the cheese exported was valued at £160,383. The total value was less than half a million. In 1901 for the first time the dairy produce reached the million mark, the

. butter exported being valued at £790,- ' 160 and the cheese at £258,883, while in 1903 butter alone was responsible for ■ £1,268,759. It remained almost sta- ■ tionary until 1910, when it had in- ’ creased to £1,635,373, and cheese this • year for the first time also exceeded the > million mark. In 1914 tlie value of the • two products was about equal, and both > had topped the two million mark, while t last year butter reached £10,445,832 i and cheese £7,354,651. These were > astonishing figures, and the most op- ! timistic would not have thought 20 : years ago that the value of dairy produce would have grown to such an extent. Despite the wonderful progress made there' was no reason why, with better methods of farming and more serious attention to' the culling of herds, the exports should not be doubled again in volume. Coming to . the question of markets, he said that . they had reached a crucial time in the, ; history of the industry. Prices had been gradually falling, and only a r little further drop would bring them to . pre-war level. He hoped they would , not get to that state, hut would seri- ’ ously suggest that a fall in values from ; those obtained during the past- two ■ years was imminent and that it was essential to set their house in order to • meet the .fall. So far as cheese wais ' concerned, Britain- was practically the - only market to-day, and though it had , been proved that this could be over- > loaded to a serious disadvantage so far l as prices were concerned, Britain’s mar- [ ket for cheese was a limited one and not capable of expansion. This does not pertain in the same way regarding i, butter. The position in this connec- . tion was more serious because we have more competitors in the aggregate volume of production of butter than we

' have in cheese. One of the greatest ■ competitors before the war was Siberia, - and although English merchants said > two years ago that there was not much > chance of Siberia coming back on the market for another twenty years, it was ; a. proved fact that- she was already ; there, though for some years to come ; she was not likely to put the same volume of produce on the market as prior to the war. At the same time the producers should take a, serious’note of . warning and put their house in order. , Mr. Morton also touched on Australian ; competition, and went on to say that if the industry holds its own in New ! Zealand it will be necessary to increase production to compensate for the lower prices. Stressing the importance of testing in this respect, Mr. Morton said that if universally adopted testing could double the production of buttere fat in five years. The average in New Zealand was 160 to I7olbs per cow, but many farmers in the Dominion ’ had herds averaging well over 3001hs, and if one man could do this then all could. Taranaki was in advance of other parts of the Dominion in respect to testing, but there was still a lot to be done there. He eulogised the work of Mr. Singleton and the members of his staff m connection with dairying, and regretted that their advice had not been availed of more -generally. As showing vhat had been done m Taranaki, Mr. Morton quoted one herd of 55 cows which, last year, averaged 364 lbs of fat (factory returns), and another of 2o cows, which averaged just over 460 lbs of fat: He was sorry'the directors had not given the suppliers <i- bettor lead in reference to testing, but hoped that in future they would look at it in

a business light and all do their utmost to establish herd-testing associations .in connection with their companies Speaking of the Control Board, Mr Morton said that the board would take many dunes out of the hands of the National Dairy Association executive but that the latter had undertaken to deal with shipping matters tor the next tit teen months, ior which they 7'eceived payment at the rate of £3OOO a year. Complaints had been made regarding the shipping service this last seasoip and there may be some foundation for it, but taken on the whole, except for anout one month, he did not think there was very serious cause for complaint. ft had been, suggested that perhaps it would be better in the interests of the industry to make a.contract with the shipping concerns to only carry dairy produce, but there were other sides of the question which required very serious consideration. He questioned very much, with all the knowledge lie had on the subject, whe- , e ' 1 ’ //-- would be to the advantage of the Dominion to have a line even of n list-class boats carrying produce at regular intervals. There were other leatmes whicu might outweigh such advantages as regular arrivals at the other enu However, these were matters for the Control Board Dealing with the financial position of the association, he thought they would all admit that the balance-sheet was a very satisfactory one, and disclosed the tact that the association was in a very •sound financial position.

Another feature regarding the industry winch made it desirable that they should increase production was the hi-di (nice of land. Cnfortiuiatelv, tliev had not yet got over the boom' which followed the war, and land had not yet come hack to sound levels. it was still too high to successfully produce T l \ u ’ i\ ml u, \ fcil ifc dk[ back 110 1 have a sound state of affairs m connection with the industry. At the present time a great many farmers were protected in a sense bv the moratorium, and there was a great deal ol discussion at the pie, sent time as to whether it should be lifted oil December 31. His opinion was that it .should cease, because the soo-upi* itceased the sooner they would get bask to a stable condition of affairs. He was quite willing to admit that it would mean additional trouble for some of tho.sei on the land, but no matter how long the moratorium was extended it would only mean extending the time of trouble lor those people, and therefore it would he far better in their interests and the interests of the Dominion as a whole that they should face the trouble and get a new start.

Continuing, he said that while the weather conditions had been favourable regarding produetion, unfortunately the continued hot weather had not

neen good lor manufacture, and as a result trie greatest difficulty iiuu been iouiui in keeping up the quality to the same high standard of previous years; it was much to the credit of the factory managers that they got so close to precious years’ performances under the circumstances, unfortunately a good deaf of produce had given cause for complaint at- the other end, particuiarty u- regard to cheese. He did not suggest any fault in manufacture, but thought that this was more than likely due to prolonged storage at the other end unaer unsatisfactory conditions. Searching inquiries would-need to be made as to why the quautv of the cheese had suffered, aim as to where tne remedy lies. It was fortunate for the industry that prices were much more buoyant, aiur that the upward tendency of two or three weeks ago is being maintained. Otherwise, with a considerable quantity of second quality cheese on the Home nyirket, it would have been disastrous. '

Mr Morton said he noticed that during the oast week or so, at a Taranaki dairy factory meeting, an. agent. was rather severe on home separation. The tenor of his remarks apparently suggested carelessness m dealing with home separated cream. Personally, however, he had not noticed in any reports coming from London that our udtter had been complained of, or that faults have been attributed to the system of home separation .rather than to the system of whole milk. It may- be there was still information to come on this point. 1 In any case, however, they must lie exceedingly careful as to the regulations, and see that the best methods are used in connection with the collection of cream and in the manufacture of.butter. The fact that home separator factories are among the highest grading factories in the Dominion, proved that there is nothing wrong with the system if proper care was exercised: •

Referring to the fluctuations in prices on the Home market, Mr Morton said numerous reasons had been advanced in explanation, but he did not know whether the producers at this end were prepared \to accept any of these or the whole of them as sufficient. They had been told time and again that so far as quality was concerned, New Zealand butter was equal to the best Danish, yet they had seen a variation of as much as 40s. He had recently seen in the Taranaki Herald a statement to the effect that a dairy company had been advised that its cheese was equal to the finest English cheddar, yet they found that the latter had been realising 30s more than New Zealand throughout the season. Why this difference in price if there was no difference in quality? These were matters which would no doubt be taken np by the Control Board, and he hoped and believed that they would be able to give a satisfactory answer to tlie producers.

N.D.A. CONFERENCE

NEXT YEAR TO BE HELD IN HAWERA. For some time past efforts have been made to have Hawera included in the itinerary for the National Dairy Association’s annual meeting. It will he remembered that last year an effort was made at Palmerston North in this direction by Mr J. R. Coz*rigan and other local representatives, but was not successful: This year further representations have been made, Mr L. O. Hooker having telegraphed' to Mr T. .Winks * that Hawera would guarantee all necessary accommodation for delegates. This morning Mr Hooker received the following telegram: “Conference by large majority agreed Hawera next year.—Tonks, "Winks.”