FARM AND DAIRY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 2541, 27 September 1893, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY.

DAIRYING.

To the Editor of the StarSib,— l have to compliment " Manaia " ana " Settler " on the tone ot their comments on my letters, especially the latter. Oourteßy should mark our utterances, unless indeed there is deliberate mis* statßment or positive evil. Under this head come the statements of yonr Okaiawa correspondent in his comments on my letters. He charges me with stating last year that dairying was profitable, and this With asserting that wages absorb all profit. He conveniently ignores the fact that last year I dealt with gross profit, and this year with nett. The former letter will be found in the Farmer of 1892, the lattei in your paper of 16th inst. Again he charges me with stating that a man's wages would have to be 25s per week " and found," whereas I put it at 25b inoluding keep. Now, this is duet-throwing, and not fair argument. As regards dirty milking it ought, in my opinien, to be publicly exposed so that for very shame's sake the delinquents may amend their practice : it is the only way to get our district a name for butter and cheese. As a matter of faot the man whose milk I wrote of is not now in the dißtriot. Dairying is very profitable per acre here to the man with a family old enough to milk, but not at all so to one who pays for all his labour. lam quite satisfied that labour will pay to employ after a time when we breed for milking purposes. In dealing with your leaders and " Settler's " letter, I could only speak of the financial aspect of the question, as that was the one under discussion ; but if it be a question of philanthropy, I think it advisable to cut up the large farms, on the ground that such are not now oarrying their proper quota of human life. Be three milkers doing eight cowb an hour for two hours, night and morning) I would ask, Oan a man bail, wash, and milk that number in that time ? Not many, I think ; and as I said before, good hands require good wages. In our wet climate and muddy yards, washing is a serious item. Two hours is not too long to keep cows in the yard, but should not, I think, be exceeded. The idea of giving a bonus 18 excellent. I would point ont that three milkers doing 16 cows each is only 48, not 50.— 1 am, &c, J. W. Kenah.