THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13157, 21 April 1906, Page 3

THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

RECORD BUTTER SHIPMENTS FROM AUCKLAND. THE appkoachfxc; dairy conference. IX view of the important dimensions the diarying industry is assuming in Auckland province, and the fact that it. was. suggested some time ago that there would be a decrease in the export of butter for 1905-6. as compared with that of the previous year, a Rekai.fi representative waited on the Co vernmcnt grader. Mr. A. A. Thornton, yesterday, to ascertain the precise position. THE OUTPUT. Mr. Thornton, who had just completed j in-iking up the returns, a! once turned up ' his bricks, and, with his customary enthusiasm, plunged into calculations. He said the total shipment of butter for the 12 mouths ending March 31, 1905. was 103.276 boxes. The butter held in store at March 31. 190!). was 8519 boxes, making » total of 116.7 ; .6 boxes for the year. Two boxes wen: to the nvf, and therefore that represented 58,393cwt. or 2919 tons 13cwt. Tho total .shipment of ' butter in 1904-5 was 114,797 boxes, and out of that 7.405 boxes were of butter manufactured before March 31. 1904. which really meant a total shipment of butter for 1904-5 of 107.392 boxes, and the increase for the year just closed was the satisfactory total of 9394 boxes. The value of the export tor 190*-5 was £253,306. and the value of the export for 1905-6 approximated £278.000 at a low estimate. The shipment of cheese for the year 1905-6 was 2264 eases, and in 1904-5 it was 1610 cases, showing an increase of 654 eases. Tin- was also e. record shipment. Had there been the requisite rams in January, said M.. Thornton, there was no doubt there would have lw en a -till greater output of butter and. in proportion, the largest export of any port in New Zealand. When the destinations of the produce were mentioned, Mr. Thornton replied that this year 102.422 boxes went to the United Kingdom of creamery, milled, and dairy butter. Creamery butter to South Africa totalled 4660 boxes, and to India 42 boxes, while ilie South Sen island. tuwfc lU.'i boxes of creamery, milk'd. and dairy butter. Of the choose 2214 cases went to treat Britain, anil 50 cases to the South Sea '-lands.

FAULTS IX MANUFACTURE. When asked about the qualify of the battel. Mr. Thornton replied that this being his first season here he could not give on opinion about the quality as to whether it had improved or otherwise, but he could say that since Christmas many of the factories showed a decided improvement in all the characteristic- of the butter, and he trusted that the educational value of the dairy conferences, and the fact of Mr. Shirley' being stationed as instructor in this province, would lead to next season showing a great improvement right throughout. The chief fault found with a great many of the factories was the dirty and unclean flavours. \. ; doubt this was caused by insufficient attention being shown by fanners in the care and delivery of the milk. In Auckland there were many factories receiving " home separated" milk, and this class of raw material was no doubt the chief fault with regard to the flavours. Another very noticeable feature'was that several factories' outputs showed an excess of free moisture, so much so in some cases that the butter arrived at the freezing.works with the boxes stained, and the moisture, leaking out of them. When the boxes were opened up the parchment paper was found to be saturated. WHAT IS REQUIRED. The whole thing with regard to the industry was the appearance and get up of the butter, and the Department was striving to put the produce on the British market in practically the same condition as when it left, the factory. The standard aimed at, and which was looked for the world over, in butter, was a clean, mild, nutty flavour] with a tough, sound body, good" texture, and straight in colour, and the butter had to be well packed and neat, in outside appearance. He still maintained that every factory should ' enamel its boxes with paraffin wax, for. although it might not be detected for a ( week or so, there was a tendency of the white, pine boxer to,, affect the flavour on 'tjie'outside of'Hie, l butter, more especially when butter had to he stored for several months. Another matter that would have to be dealt with shortly, was with regard to the carting of the butter to the stores. This matter would be placed before the buyers who handled the outputs, and no doubt they would secure a firm to guarantee and cart the butter in proper conveyances and in good order and condition. This season, at Auckland Freezing Works, ho had seen buttei boxes carted in. filthv. dirty carts without even straw or sacks beneath the boxes in wet weather, and factories therefore had to lose through no fault of. their own. Butter bad to be graded upon its condition in the stores, and it might have been considerably affected in transit. He was glad to say factory managers were now alive in the matter of refrigeration, and the butter was arriving at both Auckland and Glasgow works in good order and condition and at satisfactory temperatures. THE FORTHCOMING CONFERENCE. The second dairying conference would be held on Thursday next at Auckland Freezing Works, and grading instruction would be given for the benefit of those unable to attend the previous conference;. at the same time, of course, those who attended last conference would be heartily welcome. Subsequently he would In- prepared to meet factory managers privately and discuss the quality of the outputs. In a week or so the Agricultural and Pastoral Association would, no doubt, issue circulars to the factory'managers with regard Ut the prizes if was intended to give at the lhexi summer show for the highest grading points scored for the portion of the 1906-7 season, and also for the two boxes taken out for exhibition from the stores. Very many managers had been inquiring about the prizes, and he fully expected to see a majority of the factories compering.