COLONIAL INDUSTRIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5301, 14 February 1879, Page 7

COLONIAL INDUSTRIES .

PENINSULA PIONEER CHEESE FACTORY.

Eight years ago, at a time when butter wast very_ low in price, a meeting was hell by a few Peninsula farmers fcr the purpose of discussingthe advisability of establishing a che-se factory. I It waa determined that a commencement shoulrl i be made with a capital of LBO, in 1 Ll shares, ' and the amount was at once subscribed by seven farmers._ Those who took the most active part in starting the company were Alesats Matfaieson, Irving, and Stuart It was arranged that operations should be conducted iv Air Mathia- ... son's premises, as being the most convenient, 7 ■- and haviDg the largest number of cows, and a. dairy was erected and fitted up with improve^ plant. Some years ago, when Mr Stevenson. farmed upon the Taieri, his dairy became* famous for the quality of the cheese turned out.; It was pronounced equal to the-'best Cheddar. He obtained very profitable pricea. for the product, and made a great mystery oE .'.' the process upon which he worked. However. ■ ! .*." it was that adopted in the manufacture of-the-celebrated Cheddar cheese, v/ith which very-few • *• of our old Scotch settlers were acquainted. A Airs Murdoch, who had had experience ia working upon the Cheddar principle at Home, and -who managed Mr Stevenson's dairy for some time, was engaged by the Pioneer Company to instruct Mr Al'Gregor, her charge being LlO for one month. Air' M'Gregor, assisted by Airs Mathieson, carrie i on very successfully for three years, when Mr Mathieson having determined upon substituting sheep foe cattle, it was decided that the factory should be removed to a more central position, farther down the Peninsula. A picco of ground waa leased, and upon it was erected a brick building, which was furnished with all the appliances necessary. There ia a wooden vat, holding 200 gallons, made by M'Donnell of Walker street, a boiler set in brick, four double presßes,,a curd mill, revolving shelves. for 301) cheeses, &c , with flues for heating the ' curihg-room, means of ventilation, and plenty - of tha.t great desideratum—puro spring water. Upon taking possession of tho new factory, Mrs Alathteson instructed 'Air G-iorge Farquharson, aud he, with, the assistance of his wife, has conducted the business for the list four years. When the factory waa first started, the " patrons " contributed from 10 to 20 gallons of milk each .per day, making from 70 ta 80 gallons of milk. They now contribute from five to 30 gallons each of morning's milk only, and the factory ia working up to the full capacity of the plant, using from 170 to 180 gallons per day. The following are the names,of the shareholders or patrons, none of whom reside more than a. mile and a half from tha factory:—A. Stuart, Richard Irving, Mrs Patton, Robert Lyell, P. Carmichael, C. Weir, J. Weir, Robert Weir, W. Riddell, G. Fleming, R. Stuart. This season work was commenced with 186 gallons of milk per day. It-is now". ■ down to 170 gallons. A gallon of milk weighs 101b, and 101b of milk make lib of cheese. Thia is the calculation, but actually it takes 10.1b of milk to make nearly lib of cheese. Each patron, of course, receives a share of the income in proportion to the quantity of milk supplied. Fuur or five cheeses are made everyday, for four or five months in the year, weighing from 251b to 401b each. Last year the factory waa in work for 17 weeks, and in that time 15,644 gallons of milk were converted into 15,019 ib of cheese. Tbero ara already this year between five and bi'x to'.s of cheeße on band. Thua the patrons of tho Pioneer-Factory, instead of managing upou thoir own promises' 11 different cheese-rooms, po/rly provided with utensila and conveniences for making cheese, and producing, in some cases, au inferior article, have, in their well-managed and appointed pre* mises, reduced all danger of failure to a minimum, and turned out for marketau article which ' is ec.ual to the beat of English manufacture, and brings the highest price. A great deal of the Colonial cheese brought into market becomes quite hard on being kept for some time, while the factory cheese under notice improves in flavour, retaining the lioh, sweet, nutty flavour for which it isi noted. Messrs Esther and Low, of George stieet, who have purchased the bulk of i;he cheese manufactured by the Pioneer Company, have some of it on hand which is two years old, and we would advise anyone"who ia fond of really good cheese to call in and taate it. It is neither greasy nor waxy, and while it is perfectly fii-in and solid, it melts almost like butter in the moutii. Speaking of Messrs Eather and Low, wo must not omit tit mention that they deserve great credit for the encouragement which they have given to this important local industry from its initiation up to the present time. They have pall the highest price for the factory cheese, and have made a name for it in the market, especially among their own customers, which always secures for it a ready sale. The following are the prices, net cash, paid by them for Pioneer cheese: — Season 1872 3, about four tons, 6d per lb ; 1873-4, about four and a-half tons, 6d to 7d ; 1874 5, not in work, in consequence of removing ; 1875-6, about two tons : 1576-7, about sir and a-half tons, average price 9Jd ; 1877-8, about five tons, average price 6__d. As already . stated, some five or six tons have been so far made thia season.