THE GOVERNMENT DAIRY EXPERT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 8

THE GOVERNMENT DAIRY EXPERT.

We regret veiy much to observe from the reports of the meeting of cheese and butter makers held on the 17th inst. that the well-intentioned efforts of the Government in the matter of appointing experts have not been productive of satisfaction to those interested. A motion which was practically one of want of confidence in the present experts was carried by 16 votes to 8. Those who made the charges of incompetence were not sparing in their condemnation, and an equally vigorous defence was made, the honours in this respect being about divided. An anonymous correspondent added some spice to the discussion by the terse way in which he referred to the subjects on the order paper and to the dairy industry generally. The competency of the expert appointed by the Government is so very important a matter to the industry that it is desirable to weigh the evidence in order to see whether those who complain have made out their case for the employment of a leading expert from Great Britain or America to lecture and instruct in cheese and butter making. The mover of the motion alleged that there was a great feeling amongst cheese and butter makers that they had not proper facilities for learning anything further than what they knew in regard to high class cheese making. The chairman corroborated the remark about the extent of the dissatisfaction, and seemed to hint that it was the principal reason for calling the meeting. There is no doubt as to the existence of dissatisfaction, but tho reports of the meeting do not state so definitely as might be wished what the grounds are for it. The seconder of the motion, indeed, said he would not have the audacity to to go before the manufacturers and pose as an expert if lie did not know more than the present experts did. Twitted with the remark made in Mr S.vweiis' defence, that he had had no opportunity of judging whether Mr Sawers' instruction was of any benefit, Mr Dawson said lie had seen some of Mr Sawbbs' cheese, and that his brothers had been taught by that gentleman, the inference being that they were improperly taught. He had no doubt that Mr Sawbbs had been of help to those at the bottom of the dairy business, but there were many whom he could not teach anything about the component parts of milk or in the art of cheese making. A great many cheese makers could, in Mr Dawson's opinion, teach Mr Sawees several things. There, then, is a definite charge to the effect that Mr Sawees can only teach the rudiments of the

business. In his defence, it was said

by Mr Doult, that new Zealand cheese had topped the market in the old country. Mr Saweiis himself claimed that the advice of the experts had been of advantage to factories, lie modestly said that lie did not want to appear before them as if lie understood all the " whys " and "wherefores" of the business, but he claimed that he had conscientiously imparted all lie know. It is unnecessary to remind Mr Sawebs that his conscientiousness was not called into question. It was his ability to impart knowledge which was doubted, and lie seemed to us to plead guilty to the charge of inadequate knowledge when lie said he did not profess to know all the " whys " and " wherefores."' It seems to us that it is precisely the " whys " and " wherefores " that the intelligent manufacturer ought to know. Anyone can mechanically follow a printed list of directions, and probably attain a certain measure of success where the conditions are favourable, but if he knew the "whys" and "wherefores" he would probably be able to fight successfully against unfavourable conditions. We are afraid there has been too much of this mechanical teaching already in New Zealand. At all events experts ax*e turned out with suspicious celerity, and out of unpromising materials, at a good many factories, and it raa,y be the case that they also are deficient in the " whys " and "wherefores/ Kew Zealand has already attained a leading position in the dairy industry. It seems to occupy a position among the colonies analogous to that of Denmark on the Continent, and the public are continually being informed that this or that person has been appointed to the managership of some dairy factory in Australia. It is easy but not pleasant to imagine that the colony jnay be discredited by failures to attain success under totally different conditions to those which prevail here. The position appears to be that the colonial dairy manufacturers have now mastered the mechanical process, and it is admitted that they have reached a remarkable degree of proficiency, but that they now ardently desire to learn more of the theory upon which their practice is based. What they want, in fact, is the secondary education of their business, and we have no reason to doubt that their request is a reasonable one. Butter and cheese are not made by legerdemain. The process defends upon easily ascertainable and easily explicable data; and although there may be something of a popular tendency to ridicule the laboratory, it is essential that every person who has charge of a factory should have the ABC of the business at his fingers' ends. The persons connected with the dairy industry practically assert that the money now expended upon teaching is not productive of the greatest amount of advantage, and they fear that the industry may suffer if occasion arises to place side by side the cost and the result. We do not think there is much weight in Mr Saweks' contention that the dissatisfaction with the quality of the teaching has arisen through jealousy, or that the expert must necessarily get into " hot water " with manufacturers because he may happen to be a poor man. If the expert understands his duty it should not be necessary to make any special effort to please any particular person. The most effectual method of pleasing those with whom he comes in contact would be to impart I something which they do not already know, and we suspect that it is the absence of this and not jealousy which has got Mr Sawehs into " hot water." At the risk of adding another to the many suggestions and opinions with which the Government are inundated in connection with the dairy industry,

we would submit that tho time has now arrived when an expert should be appointed for a year or so who could explain the whole process of dairy manufacture from a scientific as well as a practical point of view.