DAIRYING IN FIJI

Patea Mail, Volume XLVII, 20 October 1924, Page 3

DAIRYING IN FIJI

THE REWA REWA FACTORY Co-operative dairying is a well established fact in Fiji, a new factory on the Rewa River having been recently opened. About a year ago, the “Fiji Times” says, Mr J. L. Hunt called a meeting of settlers for the purpose of discussing the possibility of starting a co-operative butter factory. A committee was set up, and with the assistance of a report by Mr G. M. Valentine (brother of -Mr Valentine, school inspector, New Plymouth), dairy expert, who was loaned to Fojo by the New Zealand Government, formed plans for the formation of a company and the erection of a factory, A loan was sought and obtained from the Legislative Council, and contracts were let for the erection of a factory and the installation of machinery, the latter contract being secured by Mr J. E. Curtin, a refrigerating engineer, of Hamilton. A New Zealander was also secured as manager, in the person of Mr Stanley Berridge, who has had wide experience in New Zealand factories.

A number of settlers imported highclass cattle from New Zealand and Australia, including Holstcins, Milking Shorthorns aud Jerseys. Next year another factory is to be erected at Navua, where the Fiji Pastoral Company has a large herd of imported Jerseys and Holstcins. The factory is situated on two acres of land close to the Rewa River, and is claimed to be equal, for its si/c, to the most modern in Australia or New . Zealand. The foundations and floors arc of reinforced concrete, the walls and roofs of steel framing covered with corrugated iron- The over-all dimensions are 60ft by 60ft, and the height of the walls 13ft. The plant consists of a 30 h.p. multitubular boiler, a Tangyc steam engine. Sinus pasteuriser, water cooler and direct-expansion cooler, a Linde refrigerator with a capacity of three tons, Top 11ss churn, Hurdlcy cream vat, three McEwau cream pumps and two water pumps. The cool storage room has a capacity of 500 boxes. 'The only complaint the manager makes is that he does not got enough cream. He aims at turning out ten tons of butter per month. The factory was formally opened cm September 3rd by the Acting-Go\ cruoi of Fiji. This is not the only dairy factory in Fiji, for others at Tailcvu and Nadawa arc exhibiting their product at Wem■blcy Exhibition, where it received favourable reports from a Tooley Street expert.