The Dairy Conference.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1348, 21 June 1911, Page 2

The Dairy Conference.

"iATIONAL ASSOCIATION MEETING

The annual meeting of tlie National Dairy Ats'ooiation was held yesterJay in the leotnre hall of the A. and P. Aesoointiou. The president (Mt A. Macfnrlane), cf Pahiatua, presided. Fortj-nino 00-operative companies and seven exporteis were representad. The chairuiau said that the past season's operations wore eveu wore successful than in former year. The Atsooiation was in a sound financial position. It was expected that at the begiuuiug if the season high prions for bntt:r would rule, bnt it had not cme to pass owing to the dry season. There had beeu a nninber of complaints from the Homo market When buttet was opened up. The Minister for Agriculture had wired the Association to the effect that Cabinet had decided to send an expert Home. The export of batter from Australia had lsrgel" increased, and it was desirable that eveiything possible should be done to keep up the New Zealand market to its highsat standard. The cheese market was very satisfactory, and'he predicted a large increase in exports. With the reciprocity agreement with Canada and United Statsß Canadian cheese would be largely absorko:l in the States, and this would result iu a bigger demand for New Zealand oheess in England. Twenty-two new members were elected during the year. He moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, which was seconded by Mr Adlain (Oaknra), and oarrifld. Mr Welsh, Dalefield, asked if the Executive bad any soheme to offer for the improvement of the finances. The Association was working on the balances due to various factories. Several had been kept out of their surpluses for a long time. The ohairman said that there had baon no surplus so far as butter factories were ooncernad. TheExeoutlva had prepared a scheme by which the factories should put in a P.N. for £lO for every 100 tons of butter, and one lor £5 for every 100 tons of cheesa. • Some of the large factories had now got a P.N. for £3O, and others ranging from £lO to £BO. If the scheme were; carried ont they would be able to raise about £4OOO. Mr Hubbard, Thames Valley, asked for information respecting the Auckland office, whiuh, he claimed, was self-supporting. Mr Adlain said if the factories which did not take part in the obligations were to get b»neiit for the action of those whioh did, the Wairarapa factories would withdraw from the Association. Mr J. G. Harkness said the Association was taking absolutely all risks over the insuranoe right from the factory to the Home market, The Eseontive deserved great credit for insuring at 18s 6d, whioh oovered all oharges. Mr Oollls, Kairanga, expressed his belief that the only way out of the diffionity was to tarn the Association into a joint stock company. Thera was no further disoussion, and the report was adopted. THE DIRECTORS. Mr Marre moved, and it was oarried, that £SO be voted to the president, and £2O to each ot the direotots in recognition of their servioes. ' A ballot was taken for the election of three directors to represent Taranaki, and Messrs A. Morton, Mangorei; H. Forsjth, Eltham; and J. B. Murdooli, Joll's, were elected. Messrs A. O. Hubbard, Thames Valley, aud T. Bassstt, Northen Wairoa, were elected to represent Auckland. Mr 0. T. Morpeth, Wellington, was re-elected auditor. THE HOME SEPARATION QUESIION. Mr A. 0. Hubbard, Tliamos Valley, moved: "That it be a recDmmendation to the Government that tbe Dairy Industry Act to amended in the direction of having all bnttar made by home-separated cream, branded, graded, exported and sold as suoii." The mover said his company was' not antagonistic to home-separation, but considered the procedure would be for the good of the industry. Factories whioh had laid down plants were not getting the benefit of them. Factories were turning out a better butter than ever, yet complaints of fishinees continued. The Dairy Commissioner told him the average grade of butter made on tbe home-separa-tion principle was lower than that of faotory butter. _ Factories should have some protection from this sort of thing, There were three olasaes of butter now. There should be a fourth—homeseparated. Mr T. Bassett moved an amendment, "That the question ba left standing over until the next annnal meeting." They should prevent 'any hurried i action. Mr Hubbard implied that fishinees was the result of homeseparation, but there was no proof of that. His. factory handled 75 per oeut. of home-separated and had gone to much expense to deal properly with it. Home-separation oompanies wore holding their own well, as the show prize-list showed. What Mr Hubbard proposed would mean the extinction of many small factories whose butter would have to go Home as milled. Mr F. J. Nathan, Defiance Co., who seconded the amendment, raid there waa no proof that home-sepa-ration was the oause of flshiue;s. It was due to lack of cleanliness at the creameries. Cream separated at home twice a day under proper conditions was as clean, or oleaner, than factcry-separated cream. His firm dealt with 33 per cent, of home-separated oream this year, and received a grade higher than before. Tho proposal would unduly narrass the farmer who was not living olose by a creamery. If they desired to effect improvements iu the qualitv they should look ta the beginning rather than to the London end.

Mr Morton, Mangorei, urged closer supervision and strict cleaulincss, It would bo very unfair to penalise fatmois using home separators. Mr Marre, Mangatoki, said men living iu reuiots plaoes should ba helped not hindored, as proposed. Mr Onttjr, Masterton, siul throe parts of tue oxeam handled by his company was home-separated. Yet they secured high gradiug. Special branding would be a great hardship. Mr Strange, Te Aroha, supported the motion, It was unfair that homeseparated should jeopardise the Sile of the general product. Mr Valentine, Marlborough, considered grade notes sufficient guarantee of the quality. A specul brand would do harm. Mrßobertsou said Bunnytliorpe factory found home-saparatad cream did not improve the grade. Mr Oollis, Kairanga, slid lie often wished all the cream' received was home-separated. Mr Hubbard said postpouomeut would mt remedy the pressnt position, All the leading authorities agreed that good keeping butter Gould not be made uuder home separation. People did not realise the great injury being done by the present practise. The man tiok two cans of cream to a faotory and said "Here's a foitnight's gathoringl" (Laughter). THE DAIRY COMMISSIONER'S VIEW. Mr D. Cuddie, Dairy Commksioner, at the chairman's request, said the question had beeu giving the department a good deal of concern. It was admitted by the experts that good work was being done under home separation. Several factories usius home-separated had kept their grnde over ninety aU the season. But if they judged by the poorest results obtained home separation would be damned straight away. It was beoeming a menace, but mncli could be done by iusisting on prompt delivery of oream, He nißappioved if branding the home-separated product. but asked opinion as to adueiing to ttie system ot classifying aooording to quality irrespective tu how the batter was made. They .bhculd rstablish a speoial class of "first grade extras " Home separation was going to spread all over New Zealand bye and bye.—Hear, hear.—He was sorry to see it Jn a way but to put a speoial mark against the butter would be to pass a tar brash over their own coast, — Hear, hear.—Tlie amendment was oairied by a very big majority. MR OUDDIE'S SUGGESTION. The chairman said Mr Onddie's suggestion seemed particularly good. Iu reply to questions Mi Caddie S)id that the ntw grade could be startad with 91 as a minimum, Something must be done if the in dustry were to be properly protected. If fonud recessary the standard oould be raised later on when the quality improved. Mr Hell, Tatnaki, moved that the Commissioner's suggestion be approved. Mr Marse moved as an amendment that the standard be 90. After further discussion Mr Ouddie said he did net suggest raising the grade but simply to add another special one ou the top. It was really meant putiiug "choicest" on bntter grading over 91. Mr Peßrson, Pear3ou and Rntter, said from the exporters' viewpoint the new grade should start at 92, so as to make a marked distinction between "saperfiue" and the merely "fine." Mr Dixon, Thames Valley : moved that the new grade be for 92 points and over, The Dairy Commissioner opposed this as too high for a start. . After a great deal of discussion the meeting decided to affirm the principle of the Commnsioneer's proposal, leaving the points to be fixed later. ASSOCIATION FINANCE AGAIN. Mr R. Dingle, Stratford, moved: "That the memb3rs of the Aes.ciation ba asked to sign promissory notes on the basis of £lO for every 100 tons of butter and £5 for every 100 tons of oheese." The chairman said that the proposal was to enable tlie Association to indent reqnieitas for dairymen, suoh as manures, dairy requisites, eto, The money waß not needed for the ordinary expenditure of the Association such as sending butter Home, eto. There was soosidewble discussion during whioh it was agreed that it was not right that directors shonld have to give their personal guarantee to secure finance as the chairman < recently had to do. The motion was ultimately carried 1 alter considerable disenssiou, The Association will continue its meeting this morning, when tlie Minister for Agrioultore will address the delegates ou topics of interest. In the afternoon Mr Harkness 'will deliver an address ou his experiences and investigations during his reoent Old Country tour.