PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1895. THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7298, 5 June 1895, Page 2

PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1895. THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

The National Dairy Association of New Zealand has just issued its annual report* which will be read with interest by all persons engaged in the making of butter and cheese. Favorable reference is made to the working of the Dairy Industry Act passed last session. The Association considers that the dairy industry has derived considerable benefit from the enforcement of the provisions of the Act, eapecially those relating to grading. The graders had carried out their duties efficiently, and to the entire satisfaction of all except those who were interested in the Bale of inferior. butter. It was part of their duty to report upon butter as they found it, and they state that in many instances it had depreciated while in transport from the factory to the port of shipment. This could, however, be prevented by providing cool railway cars or refrigerating machinery in coastal steamers. The necessity of having a refrigerating plant in butter factories is pointed out, as without such a provision it is almost impossible to make a first-class article, atid it is recoguised that New Zealand cannot hope to successfully compete against Denmark unless the colonial article is equal to, if not superior, to best Danish. Regarding the export of cheese, an opinion is expressed that in consequence of the present defective method of branding, much of that manufactured in the colony is sold in London as Canadian and English. The clauses in the Act referring to watering aud adulterating milk, and the use of coolers or asrators, should be strictly enforced. It is urged that the standard weight of milk should be fixed at lO^lbs, and that the system of payment on butter-fat value as indicated by the Babcock test should be adopted. The rates of freight are also alluded to in the report, and it is pointed out that the present charge of 125s,per ton measurement for butter and more than 98s for cheese is altogether too high when the freight of frozen mutton is ouly slightly over 689. A strong endeavor should be made to obtain a reduction, as the fact of Australian freights being only 72s 6d gives the sister colonies a great, advantage over New Zealand exporters. The cause of the present low prices in the Home market is attributed to the impoverishment of the working classes, brought about through strikes and the general depression in English manufacturing districts. The heavy stocks of Canadian cheese held over from last year, and the unusually favorable season both in England and Scotland, were important factors in causing a fall in values. The report takes a somewhat gloomy view of the immediate future of the industry, and predicts that for the next year or two there will be no material improvement in the trade. In course of time, however, it is considered probable that New Zealand will be able to drive European rivals from the field. The only way of accomplishing this is by improving the quality of the article exported, and sending shipments Home all the year round iusiead of at one season of the year only. During the past season the Association shipped 2971 tons of butter and 3865 tons of cheese, the freight on which amounted to L 45,510.