DAIRYING IN WESTLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3214, 20 October 1915, Page 13

DAIRYING IN WESTLAND.

The dairying industry on the West Coast, —and in particular that of South Westland

has. made rapid strides during- the past three or four years, and (says a Hokitika paper) wo are indebted to' the firm of Duncan M‘Lcan for the following particulars in regard to the cheese industry:—During the past season Mr M‘Lean handled the whole of the Coast output, amounting to 416.0001 b of cheese, or close on 200 tons. To give ona idea of the quantity, if the crates were placed end to end they would form an unbroken line 4ft by 4ft one mile and a-half long. The net amount of cash paid to suppliers to the various factories totalled £13,000. When Mr M‘Lean interested himself in this industry there was only one cheese factory on the West Coast —namely, the Inter-Wanganui Factory-, situated at Havi Hari, and he has handled this output for the past four years. Since then, however-, the Waitaha and Wataroa Factories have commenced. The latter facoutput Mr M : Lean has handled since its inception, and has again secured the output for the coming season. The price paid to suppliers at the Wataroa Factory last season was Is 3d per lb, and at the Inter-Wanganui Factory, which has been in existence for a longer iDcriod, Is 3id. These figures compare more than favourably with values paid in the North Island, and speak volumes for the possibilities of dairying on the West Coast. A considerable quantity of the cheese was shipped direct by Mr M‘Lean to London, the balance being used on the West Coast. PRICK OF MEAT. SUPPLIES TO MILITARY CAMPS. WELLINGTON, October 12. In replying to-day to a statement that the Government had not attempted to prevent exploitation, the Prime Minister stated that some months ago the Government called tenders for supplying meat to the military camps. The prices submitted struck him as being too high, so he arranged for meat to be supplied from

the stores of meat being bought by the Government for exportation to Britain. As a result of this the Government supplied meat to the camps at £47 10s per day cheaper than if it had been supplied by private contract. Mr M ‘Combs : That just shows how much over and above a fair price the consumers in this country are paying for meat.