DAIRYING IN MARLBOROUGH.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4305, 14 March 1901, Page 3

DAIRYING IN MARLBOROUGH.

A VISIT BY THE DAIRY COMMISSIONER. POINTS FOR MARLBOROUGH DAIRYMEN. Tho Dairy Commissioner having just returned from a visit of inspection! to tho dairy factories of Marlborough, a representative of this paper took the opportunity to secure the opinion of the Commissioner on tho possibilities of Marlborough as a dairying centre and incidentally to obtain some particulars of hia visit to the cheesemakers of that province. From what he saw of the district, Mr Kinsella considers that Marlborough should be able to turn out as fine flavoured cheeso as any district in the colony, every condition being present for its manufacture—land almost free from weeds, a fine water supply and a good climate. As to the successful extension of the industry, that, of course, will depend upon tho means takefn to establish the business on a sound and popular footing. Given well-appointed factories, satisfactory arrangements as to price of milk, and good men in charge of the factories, the industry must prove as successful as it has done in other parts of the colony. The first factory visited by Mr Kinsella on his present tour of inspection was tho Waitohi factory. A day of practical work was spent with the manager, who was found to be doing excellent work, and—unlike many' of his class—prepared to adopt his instructor’s methods and generally advance in the manufacture of the finest quality of Cheddar cheeso. The district in which the factory is located is well adapted for dairying, but presents a drawback in being situated in a long and narrow valley. This necessitates the carriage of some of, tho milk a considerable distance, it being thereby exposed to the weather for an undue length of time—and tho whey, in being carted back, stands in the cans too long, leading to putrefactive germs taking possession of tho tinware which the cleansing on the farm is not sufficient to eradicate. To obviate the latter trouble Mr Kinsella strongly advised the directorate to dispose of the whey by feeding it to pigs near tho factory. The factory at Spring Creek was found to bo in strong contrast to that of Waitohi. The existing conditions were not by any means favourable to the manufacture of a first-class article. The plant was obsolete, and there were no proper melons available of controlling temperatures. The milk supply was a very poor one, and altogether the prospect was not pleasing. This condition of things, the Commissioner remarked, was regrettable, as the district is eminently suitable for dairying, and he is convinced that, if the benefits of dairying were brought home to the settlers, the industry would flourish. At Havelock, Mr Kinsella inspected the factory recently opened by the Hon. C. H. Mills. Tho factory is a compact, well-arranged establishment situated on an excellent site. It was built after plans supplied by the department. The equipment was quite in keeping with the factory, an& Mr Kinsella was well pleased with all ho saw. A good supply of milk was being received, and the manager was turning it into a fairly uniform article. Several recommendations wore made by the Commissioner to the factory directorate, which should have the effect of doubling the company’s output next season. Among other “pointers” given the directors of the now factory was the paramount importance of supplying pure milk and of backing-up the maker in his endeavour to raise the standard of the milk supplied.