THE BACK-BLOCKS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5802, 20 January 1906, Page 3

THE BACK-BLOCKS.

VAU'K OF GRADING. I AX OFTSiOK OIMNiON. /n a previous is an- ref«>r"ri'*,. was 1 o eonm com p! ii ii» a I roia Ti a* \ :;t ■ na!u d.'Tra-r resa rd i in; Ha- ;.yad.nj: ol butter, D v/;:--. ur;od ly rim eos.pkunanf that buM<r lead'd in Vt<-:bn;p M»n j/,rado ’ ri.nl !«■» > !md * i*r» r■<i*• ti t ■ p’-.C'fi in tin- fl*jr :i * ■ maria’’, ■■tri sf w. 4 .s sought 1o ■•how }•»)■ rin- i'-a. .»n riiar, t,hi> gradin'.; sWem xit v«eoj.- here * lio>ii<[ either be reformed or abekrinri. I* !- not our own in rder> th.ri wo navo to b>ok Tor apprenat jom oj o n i .vii niof bods. In thi-.. a - in other matTorn, apparen* ly, “ a prophet Ji 1 * 0 ir> honour in his u'.vn eounfry." X*-'.v h f rt that N* v. /.Miami buuor brim;. a, jiMclior price at I lorn*’ than butter ;h:;;ped from that State may. juriia;.-. not hr- du<* ahoiy? h*r to tinhut. it certainly play-an imput;mr part ;n tii.- ah ima’ •- iv-uh-. Thn- factor _ri (•ofocfni-< Hin New South V. a!< am! tor tho b«un-fu, of f! »<*■■-. • people in I !iaHa k i who jir« dubious tin- - ff. «•* iv.- < f our -yM*-rn. it iuwuwiti'' to quote some appi '-rial ive remnmnts in to it. FACT* FOR rON-SIDFIIATIOX. •Trulv.” f.U'ivo: a writer in tin* Svdnev Morning IfrniM." ’* Ha* dairy rn-inns are very bttle <-harn:e to ' Icariv understand bow their interests would bn afbwted under a proper syw P«m of supervision and j’pydm;'. wbseb Would raise the pereenUp'e of he-t lui!-N-r produced hv the faHorbtu ‘I Isia >eai.ori firs-f-t'rado lias regained its pr»*« e;n:nefico, and i« eagerly niinrir lor at prices in London (-qua! to H\d in Sydncv. \t lias heroine obvious, even to tlie fanner; who |na>! of the miifiatjeinent oi tin* Co,vial Fanners' (M-opcrative Society, and condemn eradinn: and supervirion ’■rithout ntidor-tiamlniL: the #*lft-c’t: and benefits i.f I,he system that immensely iucrr:».<i<d returns for tie* output would he r«>*J it N*-vv South Wah’s produced over !>!) pi>r rent, of first-orade butter, fn order that (he producers may not indulge in the habit of thinking tlie<e matter.-, out for them-elvr-, the very mosft< is inado of the fact that a few are receiving nearly the highest price quoted in T.ondon, ami we find the very people who, to demat Government grading, declare that the climate gra<h*.s our butter third in Au<traln.sia, asserting that it realise** top price, and quoting the factories refmred to. 'lTie fact i's that these factories gain tho high price by selecting Iho cream ami making a *peeial export butter. I liave seen in the Nowra and other factories in tho co-operative rrouj) two brands being one for import, and the other for local consumption; an<l it has been admitted ■that it is because a special butter is made that the few factories whose brands are continually being <inotssl to •show that grading is unnecessary gam '.heir plan* on tin* export by furndimi tliis butter to London. When h«*avier shinments arc* necessary the t.-tomlary butter f;m-s fonvanl. but " ■ r.itoon tin- marki-ts nr bonu- nml nbrrewl rn-.lironcb'd in iuy>t(‘ry. If nil fb<* butter were KrtuUu] nml tbe H-eomiury Mtrt.-: et-imixx! scwml-Rrtulc wo sbeuld presently have ample evidence tlia-. there is mueli to be <lom* Inuon* tae State will produce a proper propottimi (1 f finst-unulo blitter. Tbe net uni lee‘ <« the fnrmere tbroiißb tbe present ilis-pi-(.TK>rt ion of seeoml nml firs; woub! be fevealixl so P-'inly that nil tbe eircui irs ami six-ecbes which roliul be ■ bpmiebt. to bear wrmUl not prevent the i true "state of affairs from coming borne | to them.” |

MU K rXSIXT/A'S VII-AVS. Tho Chief Dairy Conamissiomsr of j tfew Zealand. Mr Kimcllt, makes some ; important observations on tins s"b-! joct. “U has always toon my aim. | ho oays, “to keep tho grading of but-', lor on tho most uniform linos possible at each and every grading port in the colony, and tho efforts put forth in tins direction have boon attended with a Rood deal of surras,. rofh-cting credit on tiio olficem who have charge of the various grading ports. The graders . havo been called together once or twice during each season for some years back for the pnrpoco of testing their judgment on butter of different quality, when each man was required to examine tho produce placed before him and report to me on a form supplied to him in the room. No discussion' was allowed amongst those who took part in the tests, and, each grader Was obliged to state in writing bis individual’'opinion on every box or consignment examined. Tho forms filled in and signed by each grader were then comparer!, and I have pleasure in stating that uniformly close work was done all through, many of tho samples being awarded tho satno number of points tinder each heading, by all the graders. A general discussion followed on tho merits or demerits of tho various samples of butter examined, which had the effect of diffusing much valuable information amongst tho officers in attendance. These consultations of officers have resulted in levelling up tho work at all tho grading ports, ami havo also helped to irnweaso the confidence of the factory directors and managers in tho system of grading •throughout tho colony. EDUCATIONAL VALL'K. "From an educational point of view I ho grading of butter lias done, and is doing, a great amount of good amongst tho factory managers o£ New Zealand. In addition to this, it hen created a healthy rivalry between thorn which is productive of much good. The majority of them aro constantly com[raring notes with their follows, and Miner.ming the respective merits of the different details in manufacture adopted by each for tho improvement of the flavour and make of tho produce under their cure. In the early stages of the industry in Now Zealand it. was customary for tho factory managers to carry on their work,as it were, with closed doors, many of them endeavouring to prevent what little knowledge they possessed from filtertug through to others engaged in tho samo _business; but now all that sort of thing has entirely disappeared, and it is safe to «ay that this has been largely duo to the mutual benefits derived from tho system of grading. One noticeable feature of tho season just closed has been the large iucreiu-e in the number of managers wi» have visited the grading stores with the ohjoct of nooing tho butter and cheeso

pare i- —;>b ii .ir ov.n. Many <.i tle-e > a'-Xt.- '-Mb-ia h.- •n lb- it o’. ; :i I <•■■■. -bs 100-1 <■! I b.-iii I'-’, 'll elil ■" tln-ir l!"I„ri- , wi-b a fin i <!• i.-.■mina'iou to imt.--v- '!■ • 'l'mli'v <■•■•;■■. '' oo.o. ~.s.,sr. Tb-.- ) it„ iii nobs 1.1 'i =ob, y:,, ilw n-mria-.-^r-wieil-1 «■•!:,hi.- tb.-n, to more n-wblv s J; i. |; I ill I to- 1,111 pH! of Ibo i:t.li.r-.’ im-b-i' tt|.-ir loairol. ai;*l -.'.i.’11-t .-ii-.. tpve tiu-ni an oppo: t'.ii:; v ol \.:<- rnl.llig a r. iieslv v. 111-re la-.-.i.-'i. i:\lMilt IMKNTAI. liriTKli." ■ During Hu- p.o* r T bi-‘ via'--liav.- tnipieoilv (.COM nib.! npoti l’> evaa.iii- ami r.-pert oo eii.iut n n-s ol ’ixp.-;i in.-i-t-i! b "ir. i' - •» r t.1.,11 go by .!; ii ry ni [ ..i •.:. ■ am! i.il-o-. i!m» it I." ori-b-i <m an 1 •••■>'•■ a'o! ■-b- n m-"C:.i!.-i( :ii*or b-.iiiut i.- ; a toi.'-i !‘U‘ S. v. nil mon 1... It b.. . I ei..-toniai-y for t b-.-• ■ unlria- :b'; n 'eio-ts to furnish the !t:a«i-i- a:t li .-ii.y pal - tiriduiv o! *v »\j:< luu; 1 n!-. ;<nd in norm* in-t.itm -•* <lup’iL-;T«* f.‘j,xe< f-i t;»* sat;;., butt.i' b;r..- i..*ii lor v.;; ub r I to n-vr.il of *! • griKliug '-ton-s «i!limit tie- fact being intinaio.i by the owner. As this is apt to em-e . iffl r.-aoii. 1 lai,. .;!*■. iib-'i not to aiUrv bn. unr.. to be ilon.- In future nub - lull paiti-n----lars of what the t"-i - are being mao.for. nml u m|iy ol the l;.-y to lit" experiment. .lie’ Mippli.-i to me. L Jinve (leemoff this nee. —ary in the in. *.o. slo ..I the gra Him. au*l a!o» to prevent the work ovei lapping. I’erni;SIOII was eratil'xl by tie- Secretary lor Anrinilti.ro to purrhaso a few linxcs ot l.utt.-r wbirii was luiin'l by the Kra'lei . to !>,. of doubtful quality on arrival at the cool stores, ’i his._ butter was store.! at. a temiHuatitfe of 10'le-.; for two Jiiontlio. or for about the same .b iititii ol time it would have taken to leach the I.oudou niarliets. Tlic butter was then <K hosted an<l regraibx! l.v four ditFereiit nieiubers of tile staff alid a inimbi. r of the exporters, when the jildgineitt. oi tbe gr;;<!ers in the first in.stanee was siib-lamiated clearly in every instance. Tbe butter was al-torw-ards .sold on the local market at a reduced price; but the test made was a valuable one. proving that butter of a certain tlarour does not keep well." srTi.vvixG. 'flic re-nkti ol spraying to destroy t.ho potato blight, the ' Slat is sorry to find, are utr-.iti l.iet.-uy. "On every band." nivs tint -Star,’ "tbe crops are moro or le-s failures, generally the former, it must oe icgietmlly admittcxl, and we do not know that there are greater prospects ol the discovery of a preventive now than there were, last season, in truth. the position is most serious, lor though it is true that some parts oi the country liave eaeai>ed, or ps-rhaps we sheiihi say that some crops in seme parts of the country have .scaped, as a whole the colony* lias .suffered severely by the too general destruction of an art.cie oi toed which hitherro inis been so [ileiUiftil I and cheap. Th<> visiiaiion is rious j alike for the producer and tile con-j sinner, and must tend to greatly in- . crease the cost of living. And tie* | worst of it is th.it the plague appears | to have t’(.-nu. to stay. and possihiy , may spread to other products. Onions, J for example, appear to have been at- i tacked, ami judging from the condition of apples growing near a patch of infected potatoes it seems as ii, having worked havoc with the latter, the blight lues transferred its operations to the former. Chemical pro ciitntives having apparently failed, the question -suggest < itseh whether entomologists can bold out any hope. Is there any prospect ft natural history repeating itself, and the story of tho conquest of the orange hligiit. of California being reproduced in respect of tho potato blight r” MISCELLAXICO I’S NEWS. A correspondent supplies the ‘Tailuipo Mews” with tho following tally of one day's shearing record at Unaitui station, to combat the record .'■-bearing tally put up by ten machiiiosshcarei> on Air Harding’s station in tile Hawke's Bay. At Kiumui there are sixteen maohiiuvshoarors, and in the one day of nine hours they managed to put hrougb 3-0:1 .sheep, an average of just over 200 a man. From tho Taieri comes nows that the fica-son hits been anything but a beneficial one for tho settlors there. In addition the thistle is spreading at a rapid rate, and threatens to be as serious a question ns any that confronts tho fanucT. In tho Al.uterton district this season soiling lambs according to quality and weight instead o£ at a standard price Inis been more popular than usual, ami satisfactory prices haro been obtained (reporta the "Daily Times”.). Three coiisignmentn from .Masterton lately jra.-sed the standard of 11s per head, the figures reached being 11s Sd, 12s Bd, and 13s Ud re»i>cctiv*:ly. The highest price was obtained by McGregor Bros., ami is the record this season for fat lam Ins. Small birds have already begun harvest operations (says tho “Timaru Herald”), and they aro said to bo very numerous in soma parts of tho district, and tiro doing a lot of mischief among tho wheat crops. A Kingsdown farmer states that they aro .swarming on his farm; perhaps liecause lie happens to have a lot of trees they aro paying his crop- particular attention. At; all ovuntfl they aro whitening the wheat in bands near tho plantations in an exasperating way. The question of co-o[>erativo action in regard to threshing is being di“cus««l by tbe Wyndham branch of the Farmers’ Union. Tlie i<!ca is that tho diatrict sliould Ik> marked off in suitable areas ail the farmers within an area to giro their threshing to one j mill-owner. In this way the millowners would not have to rush from one end of the district to the other, ami there would be a saving to both sides, j-iio question will probably be publicly considered in duo course.