THE RENNET SHORTAGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3250, 28 June 1916, Page 12

THE RENNET SHORTAGE.

NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION TAKES ACTION. (Kcna Oua Own Conn-rproKDEXT.) PALMKRSTON N., .Tuns 22. The shortage of rennet, being so serious as to imperil the cheese industry, it was only natural that the New Zealand Dairy Association should devote a portion of itrf annual meeting to the discussion of the question, and as a result, as already briefly telegraphed, it was decided to form a company for tiio manufacture of the article. The matter was introduced by Mr YV. Fisher, a member of the National Dairy Association directorate, who moved —" That a co-operative comnanv should be formed, with a capital of £'2O,UOO (in £1 shares, to be taken up by tho factories in proportion to their output)." Mr Fisher said that ot the New Zealand orders taken less than half would be fulfilled this year, as the Russian Government had prohibited the export of the raw material from Russia. If a New Zealand company was formed as proposed, every factory company would be responsible for the supply of raw materia.; and! tho factories would, in return, cast tho responsibility on the individual suppliers. Success could be secured through th--> company being in a position to say: "If you" don't supply the raw material you will get no manufactured article." It needed about 30.C00 gallons of rennet to make New Zealand's year's output of cheese, and, for the sake of making that rennet, tho producers were imperilling the whole of the cheese industry. Our present stocks of rennet would carry us only through half the coming season. So far efforts to get a rennet expert (in the event of his being needed for New Zealand) had failed.

At the request of the meeting Mr D. Cuddie (Dairy Commissioner) addressed the large gathering of farmers, and he stressed the fact that the matter had been exercising the minds of the members of the Dairy Division for some time. Inquiries had been made in England by .Mr Wright, the New Zealand Government's representative, who found that there was a good deal of secrecy about the making of rennetsome of the men at the works were neyei allowed in certain portions of the building. The department had not been idle m the matter, and had already proved (by a recent test) that the raw material could be saved and sent to England in good condition. The producers should not take the risk of being unable to get the rennet from the Continent, and the proposal should be supported. Failing that. the meeting should, at least, resolve that the raw material should bo saved. For 30,000 gallons of rennet about 180,000 veils, would be needed. ' ... Mr Marchant (Cardiff): What is the minimum, age the calf should be? Mr Cuddie said that there was no minimum age, but the calf should have had milk feed. . Mr A. Morton (EgmontVillage) said that it would probably be found that the best age was two days. Forty days was the maximum age. Mr -Middletcn (Canterbury): lo show what portion of the calves, would have to be so killed, can Mr Cuddie say how many dairy cows there are in the Dominion? Mr Cuddie: About 700.000. But not all the 180,000 calves might need to be killed; it might be necessary to only supplement the supply of rennet imported. Mr Griffiths (New Plymouth): Anyhow, that wculcli probably only be about the number -which are killed already. Mr Burton (Kaiparoro) asked what would happen if, after establishment of the company, the imported article came in and competed with the local article? Would the local factory be dismantled. Mr Morton said that that would be a matter for the company to decide. Several speakers advocated merely saving the veils. Mr W. D. Powdrell (Kaupokonui) advised the meeting to go right ahead with the company. There might be even outside demand for our rennet after the war. He thought a shilling could bo paid for each veil. He represented one of the largest factories in the Dominion, and that factory killed about 5000 cdves in a season. At Is each that would amount to' only £250, and, even if the veils were not needed, that £250 would be a cheap insurance that the industry would be kept going.

Mr Foster (South Island Dairy Association) said the chief difficulty would be that of obtaining expert information and help; but his company was willing to fall into line if the motion was carried. Mr Morton mentioned that it had been stated by a Minister of the Crown that in a year 80.000 calves were killed in Taranaki alone. Mr Morton thought that at last 150,000 must be killed in tho whole Dominion.

Finally it waa resolved—" That a company should bo formed to manufacture rennet in New Zealand, the capital to be £20.000. divided into £20,000 shares of £1 each, and to be taken up by the dairy companies at the rate of one share to every two tons of cheese produced. The following were appointed provisional directors:—Messrs Wise (Ekctahuna), Allen (Cambridge), Fisher (Carterton), Marx (Mangatoki), Moss (Newman), Forsyth (Eltham), and Murdoch (Jollsl.