THE DRIED MILK INDUSTRY

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1174, 15 February 1919, Page 7

THE DRIED MILK INDUSTRY

THE GOVERNMENT DELEGATE.

In spite of Hunziker's newest book, in spite of the visit to America a few month* ago of the three ablest dairy factory managers in the Auckland district, in spite of the fact that there are at the present moment 35,777 tons of unsold dried milk in stock in the United Stale*, the Government (says the N Z. Dairyman} are going to send a delegate l*» that country to inquire into this very much over-boomed and over-rated industry. Al the moment, we may say that there is nothing known about the dried milk business which is not set forth in Professor Hunalker's new book, which bears the date August. 191 S. The publication of this work, which is the standard of the world, was an epoch-making period In the life of Us author. A big dairy company, when they saw the book, decided that a man who knew as much as the author about the dried milk and condensed milk industries was far 100 valuable lo be wasting his time in a State department, and they at once secured his services. No doubt Mr Singleton will be the delegate chosen, and we trust he will have a most enjoyable trip, but it is not left for him to be able to tell us anything we do not know about the industry at present. May we make a further suggestion to the Minister: There is one firm in the United Kingdom who make hundreds of thousands a year by boiling a few "yarns." and selling the juice to the world at \ very Taney price. Could not another Stale delegate be sent to investigate this industry and another to investigate the business of the firm who sell tallow at a thousand pounds sterling per ton? Tin? average price of tallow to-day is about £45. Why sell at this ridiculous price when it might be sold for a thousand pounds a lon or more? What wore fascinating business for the dairy farmers* boys and girls I tun growing the necessary herbs for making a sauce similar lo Lea and Perrin"-*, and what better employment for our rily boys and girls than wrapping lh« little lumps of tallow lint are to be sold at a thousand pounds a lon or more? Why not a delegate lo investigate, these industries? A pair of boots for a child or ten now costs 355. Why not a delegate to investigate this robbery, which is protected by special legislation? Why not in short, an official delegate lo investigate every industry germain lo the Dominion? A D«c«d« Too Lf. The proposal to send the delegate is ten years too late. The market for dried milk is already catered for, and the stocks at present held seem to point to the conclusion that the thing is much overdone. Wc have shown before that firms like Huntley and Palmer. Peak. Frean and Co., and Jacobs, the celebrated biscuit makers of the United Kingdom know too much in give a fancy price for skim-milk powder. Their analyst informs them ►-wily what they are getting for their money, for he is the arbiler of the buyins department, in these successful world-wide businesses, the guessing department is left to the oilier fellow. In their business there is no guessing, no buying- or pigs in pokes, so there is no chance or "pulling one over" on firms like those who are the chief users of Ihis commodity in quantities. Of course, there is considerable food value in dried skim milk, for it contains ail the casein and all the sugar and some of the albumen, all the most valuable food constitutions known. But the average housewife knows nothing or these things, nor ir she did know, could she afford lo buy them at a fancy price? Fancy prices for goods can only be got for proprietary articles afler immense sums have been spent in advertising. Advertising, we may say. is the greatest commercial lever to-day, but Hie primary producer will not touch Ihis lever with a 40-fool pole. In hi* curriculum Ihcrc is no "advertising campaign,"* so the sale of goo-is al fancy prices is nol for him. Wc have before lold Ihe slory of the dairy product that is sold the world over a I ninepence per ounce. But although the manufacture of this article was offered lo New Zealand, there have been absolutely no inquiries, and it will be resumed by Ihe Germans as soon ;?s Ihey get tired of shooting each other with machine-guns and other implements of death. Of course, these German* did not make a market for this dairy product al ninepence per ounce without a terrific amount of advertising, and all Ihe world is wailing now lo buy it as soon as it is on Ihe market again. If further evidence were wanting to show thai there is no scarcely of skim milk powder in the world, we may rerer to a free advertisement we are publishing in Ibis issue for the benefit or Ihose of our readers who imagine: they have found a gold brick in drying skim milk. This adverliscmenl is from Ihe pages of The Grocer, of recent dale, and we have no hesitation in saying that the Dutch firm whose name appears at Ihe foot of Ihe pasce will be pleased lo quole Dul-rh dried skim milk lo any inquirer, be he a resident of New Zealand or Timbueloo. Holland, we may say, is the ho-nc or the dried skim milk and sugar of milk business, and it is lo that country where inquiries should be directed. Results of Advertising. •ut llunziker's hook is not the only source of information open lo Ihe de-legate-10-be. There is a higty-inslruc-tive book prepared for Ihe British Government by one or Ihe most famous medical men in the United Kingdom. This doctor, of course, deals with the subject from Ihe point of view of a medical man. and he does honour to New Ze»land by making frequent and speeial reference lo "Glaxo.*" Ihe while he points ottl thai this is one or Ihe (commodities made world-famous by advertising. During Ihe past four years we have? sent thirty millions* worth of butter and cheese to the old Country, but we make bold lo say that if any dairy raelory director had Ihe courage b» propose al Ihe ncxl meeting or llic National Dairy Association that or Ihis hujfe sum £50.000 should be devoted |o advertising these goods in Great Hrilaln he would not be given a hearing. His suggestion would be lalked ►ml. or sneered at. And so it is Willi the dried skim milk. As a commercial product b»r Ihe biscuit maker and the manufacturer or raney chocolate..*, etc.. there is a limited market for a limited quantity, but there is nothing or the "gold brick" about the business. Headers or the Mercantile Gazelle or New Zealand are ramlllar enough wilh proposal* or Ibis sort, but they most often end wilh a neat little advertise- I

meat which has the name of the Official Assignee in Bankruptcy at the foot thereof. If ever there was a time to

*"ca' canny" it surely is here in this dried milk business—the visit of the official delegate notwithstanding.