The Farmer

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2122, 13 May 1922, Page 2

The Farmer

At a recent show in England of seeds and roots, a remarkable feature was the extraordinarily high quality of the perenial rye grass seed exhibits. The honours were won by a sample weighing 361bs per bushel. In the opinion of an expert the exhibit surpassed any sample from Denmark or New Zealand. The twelfth annual general meeting of the British Friesian Cattle Society, held in London, was attended by about 100 breeders, and was presided over by Mr W. E. Harrisup. In his opening remarks, the president referred to the fact that the membership had increased by 409 during the year 1921, and that 127 further new members had been elected in the current year, 'making the total membership 19 07. The 2000-gallon breed would thus soon have 2000 members to its society. SALE OF DAIRY COWS. Messrs Harry Palmer and . Co. report:;—On Friday we held a sale of dairy cows on recount of Mr George Ashton, in lluahine Street. They wore an exceptionally fine lot of cows, just in, and at drop. We had a small attendance, and bidding was slow, yet we managed to make a clearance with an average of £l3 for the line. Best cows to £l7 10/; others, £lO 15/, £ll 15/. £l2, £l3 to £l4 7/6; in calf 2-yr heifers, £6. K A 1 H ANG A I* I IOG HESS. SEWERAGE SCHEME FOR HALL, SCHOOL, AND HOUSES. Two members of the Wanganui Education Board, Messrs W. F. Durward and W. K. Birnie, were motored to tire Kairanga school yesterday morning by the county engineer (Mr Wright), and w<v’e there met by Messrs D. Collia, of the Kairanga County Council, and P. J. Small, another member of the Council, and chairman of tire School Committee. Other i|.embers of the latter body, Messrs A. R, Buchanan, M. Burmeister, J. B. Hughes and P. Eglinton, were also present. The two Board members were welcomed by Mr Small on behalf of the committee and residents. He stated that the object of requesting their attendance was that the Board might be acquainted of an opportunity which had presented itself by which the school might greatly benefit at little expense to the Board. The Kairanga County Council. lie explained, had commenced the erection of a house for its roadman in close proximity to the school, and it was to be provided with the convenience of a septic tank. it was thought that the Council could be induced to permit the enlargement of the tank and the connection with it

of the drainage from the school, the schoolmaster’s residence, and the public hall, if the costs were apportioned equably. Sufficient money could easily be raised in the district in connection with the hall, and the Board, it was hoped, would, when apprised of Hie opportunity, be prepared to pay flie expenses of Hie school’s connection and that of the headmaster’s residence. Mr Small pointed out that. Hie present arrangements were anything but sanitary, and as there were over (50 children attending the sciiool, better provision was urgently required. It was thought the provision of a central tank with a capacity of 3000 gallons would provide sufficient water for flushing the drains. These remarks were supported by Mr Collis and Mr Buchanan. An inspection of the locality and buildings to be. served by the proposed drainage system followed. Some discussion took place as to whether a central tank, involving considerable lengths of piping, would be preferable to each building having its own tank for the storage of water for flushing the drains. It. was agreed that estimates of costs of alternate schemes would have to be placed before the Board, and these the engineer consented to provide. These. Messrs Durward and Birnie promised, would be placed before the Education Board at its next meeting. SELF-HELP FIRST. Reference was also made to the damp nature of the playing area in winter and the necessity for having that portion directly beside Hie .school re-asphalted. It was stated that the cost of asphalting the piece referred to would be about ft)U. The committee had a small sum in hand. Mr Birnie advised the committee to prepare plans. Where a committee showed a desire to help itself, there was no doubt the Board would subsidise it. Mr Durward endorsed this. A ease in point was that of the Aramoho sciiool, he said. Two years ago the grounds of that school were simply a bog. Now it was one of the finest sciiool grounds in the Dominion, and the greater part of the work had been done by the committee. Of course, the Board had helped, as it would any committee that helped itself. Mr Buchanan said everyone in the district was prepared to do his part, but lately, during the slump, their attentions had. by force of circumstances, to be devoted very closely to their own affairs. K A IK A VGA DAIRY FACTORY. FIFTEEN YEARS OF PROGRESS. After the conference at Kairanga yesterday between members of the

Education Board and the local School Committee, Mr P. J. Small invited Messrs Durward and Birnie, and a representative of the “Times,” to visit the Kairanga Dairy Company’s factory at Longbnrn, of which he is a director. This is a dual-plant factory, and can turn to the making of either cheese or butter at a moment’s notice. With two branches, one at Fitzhcrtaert East and the other at Kairanga, it is a concern of some magnitude. Exclusive of stocks, the assets of the company amount, approximately, to £30,000, As to the quality of the Longburn factory’s output, it may be mentioned that it ranked second in the Wellington district for non-pas-tourisod cheese, with a average grading of 91.11. As with other factories. Ibis season’s output is abnormal, and even at this late period flic milk supply has fallen only very little. "It is keeping up wonderfully,” said the manager (Mr Kilpatrick) when showing the party round. “In fact, it is two-fifths more now than at the same period last year, from the same number of suppliers, and we are turning out a ton of butter a day. Suppliers are being paid 1/3 per lb for last month’s supply. The outstanding feature in the plant is the huge whey vat. built of white tiles, with a long drain similarly tiled, running into it through the factory. At times when cheese is made, the whey is separated for the making ot whey blitter, and a hundredweight and a half is made daily. The residue goes to the pigs. As butter is now being made, they arc fed with the skim milk. There are 120 to ho fed. for the factory has its own farm of 40 acres adjoining. Besides the pigs, and a small area under cultivation, it carries 24 cows and a horse. Eight dwellings for the use of employees, ami a, general store for the- use of suppliers and employees, are connected with the factory. Last year’s turnover was close on to £IOO,OOO. Mr D. Collis, one of the ’directors, also accompanied the parly. He has lived for 44 years in Longburn, and attended a tiny school opposite the factory site. The schoolmaster was the present Minister of Lands (Hon. 1). H. Guthrie). In 1907 the factory was established with tlie lai" Mr Charles Collis as chairman of directors. a position which he held until the time of his death nine years later. 'Since then Mr A. Lancaster lias occupied tile post. Mr David Collis looks back over many changes in Longburn, but nothing inis been so surprising as the growth of Hie dairying industry and the extension of the factory’s operations in the fifteen years of its existence. The first year’s turn-over was £9OOO. Last year’s £IOO,OOO speaks