WHEY BUTTER.

Mataura Ensign, 27 January 1912, Page 4

WHEY BUTTER.

The introduction of a butter-making plant at Edendale for the purpose of extracting the butter-fat in whey will considerably sdd to the profit of the dairy farmers. The statement made by Mr H. E. Niven, the secretary of the Edendale Company, that something over £l3 worth of butter fat was being run down the drains of the company's factories every day was sufficient to more than convince the directors that it was time they took steps to save this loss. The only use the whey 1 has been put to in the past has been the i feeding of pigs and calves and this only to a limited extent. The greater quantity of the liquid has been run into the drains. In fact it was looked upon as more or less of a nuisance, and great expense has been incurred by the companies to get rid of it. Mr Niven laid a report of the experiments recently made at the factory before the directors at Edendale on Thursday. In the course of this report he said that "three such experiments had been conducted, on December 4, 6 and 11 respectively; and on each occasion the quantity of whey manipulated was 650 gallons. On the first date the whey, before being separated, contained 0.20 per cent, of butter fat, and after separation 0.5 per cent.; second date, the respective figures came to 0.18 and 0.02; third date, 0.17 and 0.01. On the first date 131b butter! was manufactured, the average thus being about 21b butter or 1.631b fat j from every 100-gal. whey; second date, 161b butter (averages, 2.531b and 1.631b); third date, 171b buiter (averages, 2.611b and 2.121b). The full cost of separation was l|d per lOOgal whey; the labor cost, though light, was not ascertainable, as the separation had been done by members of the general staff. (Mr D. Cuddie, Dairy Commissioner, has estimated that the total cost of manufacturing butter from whey should 1 not exceed 3jd for ever, pound of butter produced.) Taking a line on the season's milk supply at the Edendale (and two branch) factories as 20,000,0001b, that (at 21b b.f. from every 1001b whey) would give 40,0001b butter, which at the mean price of 8d a lb would realise £1333. The estimated cost of produce (all highly appraised) was £715, based as follows: —lnterest, oi per cent, on £3OOO, £165; cost of manufacturing at Edendale, Menzies Ferry, and Brydone factories, £500; carting and sundries, £50 —which gave a net profit of £6lB. Every farthing received per pound above 8d meant an extra profit of £4l 13s 4d on 40,0001b butter. The over-run (say 10 per cent.), which could be set against depreciation, would produce 40001b butter, which at 8d would give another £133 16s Bd. (Messrs Cuddie and Singleton's estimate of the cost of production worked out at £660, or £49 less than Mr Niven's estimate.) The speaker's estimate (a liberal one) of the plant required for working 14,000 gallons whey daily at Edendale factory and its two branches was £2650, made up as follows: —Buildings £750, 8 separators £IOOO, SOgal churn £IOO, butter printer £3O, pasteuriser £35, vats and cream cans £3O, 3 pumps £25, whey tanks £200; shafting and fitting up £125, coolers £2O, shoots £BO, floors at Edendale £75, engine £6O, incidentals £130." It will thus be seen that there is a. reasonable prospect of the success of the venture. It is questionable whether it would pay a small factory to put in the plant necessary to extract the butter fat from its whey, as the output of butter would be to low to pay; but "here is no reason why two or more small factories should not combine for the purpose. When it is clearly shown that so much butter-fat is being lost under present methods, and that it is quite possible to economically prevent the waste, we may safely predict fftat before much time has elapsed I suitable plants will be installed in central places to extract the fat from the whey. In the frozen meat industry nothing is wasted, with the result that the farmer obtains full value for his stock. The same condition of affairs will shortly prevail in dairying. This will enable the small dairy farmer to view the future of his industry with equanimity, for he will know that he in receiving the last fraction of value for his milk, and he will be the better prepared to face a fall in value should it occur.

Aet 9 o'clock this morning the radio station at Wellington advised as follows:— <"The Ulimaroa, Victoria and Arawa •will be within wireless range to-night."

! The annual picnic under the auspices of the Gore Congregational Church Sunday School will be held on Wednesday, and vehicles will leave ihe church for Croydon Bush at 11 a.m.

Mr William Moriarty, a very old and respected resdent of Carterton, died at a private hospital yesterday as the result of an abscess on the head. Mr Moriarty was aged 77 years (says a Press Association telegram).

At the inquest on the body of Edward Rogers who was found' dead in his bed at Invercargill on Wednesday morning, the coroner returned a verdict that the deceased had died from suffocation caused by falling face downwards on the pillow while in a fit. The deceased had been drinking a good deal lately and was subject to "fits.

The annual excursion of the Mataura District Schools will take place on Wednesday next to Riverton. The trajn will leave Charlton at 7.25 a.in, and will stop at Mataura, Brydone and Ota Creek. The return journey from Riverton will start at 4.55 p.m. Tickets are procurable at Charlton, Brydone and Mataura from Mr Mcßride, Mr Pate and Mr Winning respectively.

The first sod of the new tennis courts in Lyne Street was turned yesterday. The Railway Department has taken possession of the old courts on the Caledonian Ground for railway extension purposes, and is by arrangement constructing new courts in Lyne street. Mr W. O'Brien has the contract of skimploughing and removing the turf.

A meeting of the Gilchrist Testimonial Committee was held last evening and was well attended. Mr Walter Gee presided. The various sub-com-mittees furnished their reports, which were considered very satisfactory. It was decided to make a presentation to Mr Gilchrist at the Town Hall on Friday evening, February 9, and a subcommittee was appointed to carry out the details. It was also resolved to invite several representative gentlemen to be present and to take part in. the proceedings.

Mr Baxter Buckley's concert last evening was enjoyable and his previous one no less so, but this was not the fault of an individual who on both occasions persistently and constantly counted his money and heaved deep, audible and ludicrous sighs. Add to the last evening's enormity of the s me man folding brown paper with ••■ eh care and exactitude and at <; <at length, realise that he persiste i J ,ly talked on inconvenienet subjects in an easily audible voice, picture tlnee small boys at the door, naturally bored to death and naturally looking for «.- me relief for their pent-up feelings, and one wonders why the concerts enjoyable. The fact that they ivero leflects the greatest credit on Mr Buckley and his assistants.

At the monthly meeting of the Mataura School Committee the Education Board wrote notifying the appointment of Mr W. Gilchrist as headmaster and Miss Elizabeth Salmond as third assistant and forwarded' a copy of the 'Gazette' advising that the school committee now had a voice in the election of Governors of the University Senate. A letter was received from the Directors of the Technical College announcing that the Education Board had agreed to establish a day technical college with a competent staff to open early in February. The headmaster (Mr Gilchrist) wrote announcing his intention of opening school at 9 a.m. for attendance of St. Vi., and pointing out how important it was for that standard to have a special half-hour to prepare them for their proficiency examination, as by having a good proficiency certificate they might be put a year forward when they entered the High School. If any of the guardians objected they need not send their children. Mr Gilchrist also intimated his intention of employing the assistants to instruct pupils teachers. It was decided, on the recommendation of the headmaster, to award prizes for class work as well as certificates for attendance at close of school term, funds to be provided by a concert in which the pupils would occupy half the programme, to be held, preferably in tlie middle of the term. It was decided to equal the amount provided by the Board, viz., sixpence per pupil, towards the cost of writing pads and other assessories, and also to provide a reserved carriage for the brass band in the school excursion train. A letter was received from Riverton launch owners that hot water would be provided for excursionists. It was decided to close the school on the occasion, of the Horticultural Society's show on February 14.

At McCruer, Taylor and Co.'s Summer Sale.—Special purchase just opened to-day for school excursion and picnics: 2o Ladies' Coat and Skirt Washing Costumes, usual price, 22s 6d; sale price, 5s lid. Lot Ladies' Fabric Gloves, in assorted colors, see window display. Sale price, 6d per pair. Lot Japanese Silks in assorted suitable for veils, etc. Sale Price, 6d per yard. t

Brooch lost. Girl wanted. Waitress wanted. Lady wants sewing. Competent general wanted. To-morrow's church services announced. Gore High School re-opens Tuesday, February 6. J Southland High Schools re-open on February 6. T. I. Spence intends aptjlyinjr for special claim. ' Congregational Sunday School picnic on Wednesday. Blaseheck at Dominion Hall on ihursday next. Miss M Eastoii, Mataura, resumes teaching shortly. Lands Department offer Torepa sections for lease by public auction Mataura District Public Schools' an mial excursion to Eivorton on January National Mortgage and Agency Company hold monthly horse sale on January 31.