The Southern Cheese FACTORIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 240, 12 September 1883, Page 2

The Southern Cheese FACTORIES.

At the recent meeting of the directors of the Pukekohe Cheese and Bacon Factory Company, Mr Horace Walpole gave an interesting account of his recent visit to the cheese and bacon factories m the South Island. After a briel in* traduction, Mr Walpole said : — I arrived at Ohmtohurch on July 81, and from thence took train next morning to Ashburton, thencejby coach to Fleam - ington, where the factory is situated. The district around is decidedly flat, but nevertheless well situated for dairying purposes; The factory is a fine building, standing m about ten aores of ground. It , is a wooden, two storey building, with a brick engine and boilerroom attached. The milk' is received m a spacious covered shed, where it is weighed and tipped into vats m the making-room, Iv this room there are four oblong vats, capable of holding 450 gallons each , two large wooden coolers, and a curd mill. The vats supplied with steam through pipes running from the engine-room. Kuirs, and all other necessary utensils are kept m this room. The floors throughout the factory are of concrete, with the exception of the curing* room, which is wood. From the making»room we pass into the press-room, where there are thirteen lever perpendicular gang presses. There is also another large cooler m this room. Two rows of revolving shelves stand m the middle of the room where the new cheese are placed previous- to removing them to. the curing-room. On one side of this room there is the Manager's office. The cheeses are conveyed to the curing-room by means of a steam lilt. From this room we go to the curing-room on the upper storey, where at the time of my visit there were about 30 ton of cheese, each cheese weighing fromy6o to 80lbs. This is a very well constructed' curing-; room, being perfectly airtight, • Large steam pipes are running all round the room. The roof of this factory is "of shingles. We next visit the washingroom where there is an immense wooden tub for washing cloths, &c. Cold and hot water pipes are laid into the tub* "In this room, there is a small four horse power horizontal engine, which his used for pumping„water from the well to the tank, and works the curd mill and lift. The next room is the engine-room where there is a large eight horse power boiler generating steam j also, a large . square boiler for_haatingjvater Jorthe ÜB3 of the factory. Attached to the factory there is ah extensive piggery, but the Company here do not cure bacon, merely breed and fatten pigs, there being separate departments for each— the working staff consists of manager and four hands. The piggery here is particularly arranged. I was very pleased with my visit to this factory, and grateful for the courtesy shown to me. The next factory I visited was Edendale, Southland. This is the only factory conducted wholly on the American principle m the ; South Island. > It is indeed a model factory, everything is kept so perfectly clean and neat. Oblong vats and American presses are used here, The working staff of this factory consist of the manager, Mr luglis, his wile, and two hands. There are a few outside suppliers, but the Company have their own cows on the premises which supply the greater portion of the milk. The Company pay ©he penny per head for the milking of, their cows. 1 liked the appearance ol the country here very much, being peculiarly well adapted for dairying. I had also the pleasure of visiting "one" or two of- the private dairies- ia Akaroa. I saw ; and tasted m these dairies some most excellent cheese. Some of the dairy farmers here go"on the leasing principle. They hire' cows from large stations, some of them paying as much £3 per head for the season. These dairies I speak oi are quite private, each member of the family taking his or her part. They are able to sell the cheese at from ,51 to 6d per lb., and say they make it pay them well.