The MANAWATUN DAILY Times MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1936. Dairy Science in Taranaki

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 217, 14 September 1936, Page 6

The MANA WATUN DAILY Times MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1936. Dairy Science in Taranaki

A progressive move has been made by the Taranaki Federation of Co-operative Dairy Companies in organising a routine service laboratory for the benefit of their factories and suppliers. The actual laboratory was set up many years ago for the purpose of conducting research into problems of dairy manufacture.

It lias now been decided to abandon the research objecti\ o and to concentrate directly upon purely utility work. Research work of Dominion-wide interest is now carried out by the Dairy Research Institute at Massey College and upon a far larger and more concentrated scale than would be practicable at a provincial institute.

The Taranaki scheme envisages utilising present scientific knowledge to the fullest degree for the immediate benefit of the dairy industry in its day-to-day problems. The raising and maintenance of the quality of production is the direct object of the new organisation. Additional to this is an insurance scheme safeguarding against loss of grade. Any factory having cheese graded second would receive from the laboratory the difference between the second-grade price and the minimum first-grade price. From this it would be judged that the research institute is giving a guarantee of its services.

It should be both of interest and value for local factory directors and executives to obtain detailed information about this Taranaki scheme. The setting up of a similar laboratory in Palmerston North might be a useful policy. The proposal should be worthy of investigation.

A series of such decentralised institutions spread over the various important dairying districts could take care of routine scientific servicing. Massey College could then concentrate its energies upon major problems. The local establishments would provide the central organisation with valuable allies. Having regard to the vast turnover of the New Zealand dairying industry, now worth possibly £25,000,000 per annum, an expenditure of £IOO,OOO per annum even upon research work would be little enough.