A MEETING OF CHEESE AND BUTTER MAKERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2008, 18 August 1892, Page 21

A MEETING OF CHEESE AND BUTTER MAKERS.

A MOTION OF WANT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT DAIRY

EXPERT.

A meeting of cheese and butter experts was he'd at the office of the New Zealand Middle Inland Dairy Association, in Water street, tn Wednesday, and attcuded by about 4-0 persons. Papers relating to tho manufacture of cheese and butter were read by Messrs J. Sawers and Newman Anderson, the Government dairy exp' r ts, aud the following, among other resolutions, were carried; — "(1) That the Government be recommended to secure, fcr one or n ore years, the services of a leading expert from Gri at Britain or America, to lecture and instruct in cheese and butter-making. (2) That it would be disiraLle for the Government to establish model factories, whore people would bo taught by competent cheese and butt-jr-makcrs; such factories to be self-support-ing ; certificates to bo granted to people according to the amount of skill acquired at buch factories. (3) That thsi meeting is of opinion that it is very liltle use to attempt the grading of dairy produce at the different ports of the colony, but that the produco should h(j in'pect'jd and repotted ou by a competent juvlgo (it a in w Zen'atiil dairy produce de'pct in London" " The Dairy Industry Bill w:i& iils.o considered, and it was resolved to recommend ihe Government to make certain amendments in tho bill, a number of clauses in which were generally regarded as too stringent.

A NKW DAIKV r.XPKr.T.

Mr John Duncan ir.ove.l— "Tlv.t the Government be recommended to secure for one or more years the services of a leading expeit from Great JKiitain or Ameiiea to lecture and instruct in cheese anil butter making." He .said there was a great feeling among-.t cheese a'ul butter makers Lore that they had not proper facilities for learning anything further than what they knew in legdid to hio'li-cldss cheese making, lie thought

that the Government should tako stcpe to nppohl a good expert to go round to the different dairy factories in the colony and give free instruction. Mr Dawson seconded the motion. In doing bo he said it was a very unpleasant thing for him to say, but everywhere he went there was groat dissatisfaction amongst dairymen with the instruction they were now getting. It appeared to him that they had got into a groove and their instructor was in the same groove, and they could never got ahead until they got an instructor who knew more than themselves. If a vote were taken he thought that the majority of those employed in dairy factories would say that they had no confidence in the present system of instruction. It was no use to expect the Government to pay for instruction when they did not get any good from it. He had that day asked a question of vital importance with regard to the dairy industry, and _ tho inspector could not give him any information about it. At the present time no dairyman was thoroughly satisfied with al) the cheese he turned out, but if they all thoroughly undorstood cheese making they would not make any second-class cheese. As regards butter making, it seemed to him a strange thing that a man should be appointed as an expert who could not speak English. Was it to be expected that he could show dairymen bow to mnko butter by making signs? Mr Birch thought he should say a word about this matter so far as it concerned the association. Since the yearly meeting the association had so many compluinis with regard to the dairy experts, that the board thought it advisable that tho matter should be brought up that day, in order that the cheese and butter' makers might express their opinion about the matter.

Mr Doull moved an amendment which was a direct negative of the motion. He thought that if the Government sent to Great Britain for a dairj expert a great deal of expense would be incurred, and he doubted whether any very great advantage would be derived from their doing bo. No man was more anxious than he to see the best class of clieese and butter produced in the colony, because it meant an increase of revenue. Nevertheless tho fact should not be, overlooked that New Zealand cheese was not only coming to the front, but it had topped the maiket in the old country ; and he was inclined to think that if they had an expert from Great Britain 'tlieir cheese would be no better than it was at present. Mr Dawson said he would not have the audacity to go before the manufacturers and pose as an expert if he did not know more than the present experts did. It was all very well for a few cases of cheese that were picked out to tpp the market ; but the question was, How many cases were the chpese selected from ? Mr Brown seconded the amendment. Mr J. Sawer said the seconder of the motion to bring an expert out from Great Britain had never the pleasure— or, perhaps, he might soy the misfortune—of seeing the speaker manufacture cheese. How Mr Dawson was able to give an opinion as regards his method of manufacture he (the speaker) was unable to say. He could not see how he could do so ; and ho thought that Mr Dawson mint have been taking some newspaper paragraphs that he had read as gospel, which was not always tho i ase. It did not matter two straws to him (the speaker) who might be appointed ; but he might point out that a few years ago tho factories in the colony were in a very bad state financially owing to the bad cheese they turned out. He would ask the meeting if ; that was the case to-day. lie did not say it was 1 due to them that they were in a better position. It was due to the manufacturers themselves, and to the fact that they had received some advico that had proved beneficial to them. He did not want to appear before them as if he understood all the "whys" and " wherefores " of the business, but he had always endeavoured to impart what knowledge hd had conscientiously.— (Hear, hear.) He had alio without any hesitation spoken out his mind in every dairy factory that he had visited, and in some cases that might not have proved platablc to many ; but as long as he occupied the position he did he would do as he had done in the past. The seconder of the motion had said that he had asked him (tho speaker) a question relative to the paper that he had read that day, and that he did not answer it satisfactorily. He left it to the meeting to say whether he had done bo or not. He submitted that he had answered the question as clearly and as straightforwardly a3 ho possibly could ; and tho answer no doubt appeared clear to many there, although the seconder of the motion could not understand it. ' It did not matter whom they got as an expert he was sure to get into hot water with some manufacturers, as he was a poor man who had to plense everybody. A'l he could say with regard to himself was that while he occupied the jiosition ho did he would discharge his duties to the best of his ability, and ho felt sure to the entire satisfaction of the majority of tho dairy factory proprietors and also the makers. He was sorry that a little jealousy had arisen with regard to him, but why it should exist he could not say. — (Applause. 7 <

Mr Dawson, in referring to Mr Sawers' statement that he (Mr Dawson) had not had an opportunity of iudging whether Mr Saworis' instruction was of any benefit to the makers of cheese and butter, said he had seen some of the cheese Mr Sawers had made when he had charge of a factory and he considered it was not properly Inad'e. Mr Sawers had also instructed his (the "speaker's) brothers, and they had told him about his method of instruction. He had no doubt th'afrMr Sawders had assisted those who were at the bottom of the dairy industry business, but there wore agreat number that he could not teach anything in regard to the chemical components of milk or in the ait of cheese making. A great many cheese makers in fact could teach the instructor several things. Mr Duncan was sorry that there should be anyt thing said reflecting on the expert. Mr Dawson hoped that those present would not think that he brought the matter forward out of spite. He wanted a little more information, and he could not get it. He had simplybrought the matter up in the interests of the dairy industry. Mr Birch said it must be admitted that tho dairy industry had made great strides during the last few years. He, however, thoughi, in the interest of dairying generally, it would be wise for the Government to bring out - first-class expert from Home. He contended, indeed, that they wanted two or three experts for each island, and they wanted men further advanced than any man they had here at present. Mr Bousey endorsed Mr Birch's remarks as to the advisability of getting sin expert from Home who was in advance of anyone here. He did not see why they should not get as much information with regard to the manufacture of cheese and butter as it w as pos ible to get The motion was eventually carried by 16 votes to 8, the question being decided by ballot.

Our Roxburgh correspondent telegraphs that the hearing of the charge against the youth Murphy of shooting Ah Choy, with intent, was concluded on Tuesday evening and was dismissed, Mr Wood, R.M., holding that thero was no intent, as accused "only fired at a rabbit and shot the Chin3min."