Rambling in the Country.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XIX, Issue 3291, 2 December 1892, Page 2

Rambling in the Country.

Mr J. D. H. Hnrley has got hie factory on the Eltham road at the Panehu river into working order, and ia now in fnll swing converting the superabundance of grass in the district, through the medium of the cows and the factory, into the marketable commodity of butter for the London market. His Paneho factory is an much the same plan as his Kaponga one, the power being supplied by a water wheel. He has bad the wheel made much larger than the necessities of the factory require so that it can be utilised for the establishment of any other industry which may be started there— possibly for the electric lighting of the township when built. He has one of the latest improved separators, which is capable of dealing with a much larger supply of milk than is furnished at present. He has availed himself of the fall of the ground in erecting the factory, aud ;he milk carts can back up to "a raised platform, so that the cans can be slid off the cart on to the scale, which saves any lifting, and the milk is then poured into the receiving vat. The floor on whicb the separator stands is on a lower level still, and then there is a second apartment, or cellar, with concrete floor, below, in which is erected a large churn, butter-worker, and all other necessary appliances for turning out a first-class article. The water-wheel being an overshot one enabled him to construct the water-race considerably above the level of the floor on which the separator stands, so that by. means of a couple of lengths of hose he obtains a good pressure of water for the purpose of cleaning, &c. on both floors. He has displayed wisdom in availing himself of water-power, which, once established, is so much cheaper than any other, and, should bad times occur in the butter industry, he wili be able to weather the storm when other more expensive methods of working will have to go to the wall. He is to be commended for his enterprise, and it is to be hoped that the settlers will recognise his efforts and second them heartily. All along the bush roads the paddocks present quite a picture of prosperity. Grass is abundant, and all kinds of stock are looking remarkably well. Samples of bullocks are to be seen in every paddock that would grace a show-ground. It has always remained an unsolved problem what becomes of the pins that have been made ; and a similar question suggests itself when you commence a tussle with the beef supplied in most country towns — what becomes of the bullocks we saw? We apparently have Buch an affection for out kin across the sea that we send them our best production and take a less price for it than we pay for the inferior article we reserve for our own consumption. Our reward may come hereafter; but in the meantime our kin across the sea should not chide colonials with the fact of having bad teeth, as they have used them op early in life in struggling with the flesh of ancient kine whilst they have been enjoying the three and four- year-olds. Small patches of beans, barley, etc., which many bush settlers now have in, show what the land is capable of producing when the logs and stumps are removed. Fruit is also faiily plentifnl, and everything surrounding the bush homesteads is indicative of prosperity and plenty. The summer drawback to bush life, viz., smoke, is not yet in the ascendant, and the spell between the disappearance of mud and the advent of the smoke is being enjoyed. Meßsra. Sorenson and Co. have their faotory at the Manaia-Skeet road corner again in working order and are being wel! supplied with milk. Several settlers intend starting separators on their own account, which wili to a great extent affect the faotory. Whether this is a wise polioy or not remains to be proved. Hitherto the settlers when combined conld not make the factory a success, though, wby not, I fail to see, but there the faot remains. Now, whether they individually will be able to turn out an article, without having such effective appliances as are possessed by well-established factories, that will be up to first-olass standard is very questionable, and if the quality of New Zealand butter comes to be doubted the industry will receive a check like it had some years back when all producers suffered alike, and our very best butter often sold at " oarfc grease " prices. To keep up onr name for butter, means to keep up the price. " What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." This may be true of the rose, bnt it does not always apply to batter.