DRIED MILK INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17294, 18 October 1919, Page 13

DRIED MILK INDUSTRY.

A SATISFACTORY POSITION. HIGH PRICES ASSURED. OFFERS FROM ENGLAND. [bt telegraph.— correspondent.] HAMILTON , Friday. Speaking of the prospects of the dried milk industry. Mr. W. (inori fellow (man ' aging director of the New Zealand Dairy ; Association and Waikato Co-operative Dairy Co), at a meeting of suppliers in • tere<U>d in the erection of a new dried milk factory at Hamilton yesterday, said that when they put the position before the suppliers two years ago they stated that the position as such it the time as to ..liable, them to pay 5s 6d per lb. Since ■ then 'he price had'come down to £150 | per ton. and it would be safe to say thev ■ would lie able to make a net payment of |os per lb for the next four years, not allowing tor share deductions. Dried milk, he said, was in increasing ' | demand. The company had received sevej r.il very erx-ouragmg " cablegrams contain- ; nig an ..fter to take 5000 tons for rive vears :on ;he stated basis. This would mean the I output of 25,000 cows, and as one firm was prepared to take this amount it did not appear as though there would he anv immediate over-production. The business ' was as yet. hut young,- and they knew perfectly well they had much to learn, but ] it was safe, to forecast that dried milk j won Id be more profitable than anv other ! product they were handling. j While the prospects for butter were j good, those for milk powder were better. ! The company had calculated on having j the Waharoa factory ready bv [September, i but, owing to labo'ir shortage and other unforeseen circumstances it would probablv jbe Christmas before the place would be. completed. This delay had also resulted ] m a delay at Frank ton. Morrhwville. T 6 Awamuiu, Te Kowhai. and Taupiri. where j factories were proposed. The original j intention was to have a Urge centra! facI tory at Frankton, and to do the condens--1 ing there for the other factories, but thev now found that owing to the amalgamation and the amount of milk offering the prospects were so great, that it would bo necessary a/so to put- up complete factories at Te Awamtttu and Morrinsville. It wa.s estimated that 6000 cows would I be supplying to Morrinsville 4000 to Te I Awamutu, between 2500 and 3000 to Tan piri, 2000 to Te Kowhai. and bet.ween 4000 j and 5000 to Frankton. The scheme had I extended a good ileal, and more capital would be required. Mr. (roodfellow mentioned that the dimon American machinery for milk products j was 53 per cent., and as the exchange on I American money had risen to 15 per cent, these payments alone pat 48 per cent, on the cost, making the importation almost : prohibitive. As a result they were con- ! sidering the possibilities of manufactures: ' certain parts of the machines in the DoI minion. This, however, would mean, some delay.