DISPOSAL OF WHEY

Southland Times, Issue 19172, 16 February 1924, Page 5

DISPOSAL OF WHEY

A SERIOUS PROBLEM DEPUTATION TO HON. J. G. COATES MATTER TO BE INVESTIGATED. A question of interest to practically every dairy factory in Southland was brought under the notice of Hon. J. G. Coates last evening when a deputation representing the Morton Mains'Dairy Factory a cd that some assistance should he granted to enable the factory to dispose of its whey. In introducing the deputation, which consisted of Mr Sheat, manager, Mr R. B. Caw?, secretary, and Mr Edie, a director of the company, Mr P. de la Perrelle mentioned that on the application of a settler an injunction had been issued against the company restraining it from polluting a stream by draining whey into it. Mr Sheat stated that the Edendale Sugar of Milk Company could utilise it if satisfactory means of transport could be arranged. The factory was quite willing to provide a tank, but the railway authorities could not take it on the train by which it would have to go to be of any use to the Sugar of Milk Company, which required J on the day it was run off at the factory. The District Traffic Manager, Mr A.' W. Morgan stated that the Railway Department could not do anything under the present conditions. The whey could be taken from Morton Mains provided the Edendale people v.suld remove it from the railway yard on to their own siding. This they were not preparer! to do. Mr Sheat stater! that if the factory could not get the whey satisfactorily disposed < it would probably mean that the factory would have to close down. The freigl/ from Morton Mains to Edendale amounted to £4 11/8. and for the season that represented £BOO. The whey was practically worthless and the Dairy Factory therefore could not afford to meet such a heavy charge. Mr A. W. Morgan stated that the transport charges were based cn =o much per gallon. To transport it two bogey trucks were required and would have to be set aside for 11 at purpose alone. The Railway Department had no means of having the whey shunted on to the siding except by the cngh-C on tie tr-ln, and to do this vreuld mean a delay of 25 minutes. This delay the Department -. as aot prepaied to face, although it was prop: re. to face the delay of six or seven minutes required for load•i<r at Morton All other whey in the district was conveyed by niotcr lorry, but he understood that the 1 distance was too great for the Sugar of Milk Factory to adopt this means of transport. The Minister said that under the circumstances he could not see how the railway could do it fcr much less. Mr Caws said that the problem was a difficult one and it seemed as if some other solution of the problem would have to be found. At present the whey was being deposited in a trench, but the factory might meet with objections from the Health authorities in regard to this method of disposing of it. The factory would undertake to give the objector a water supply except for the fact that it might have to do the same for many others, who even then would not be prevented form applying for an injunction. The Minister said that he realised that the matter was a very serious one. It would be unfortunate if the industry had to be stopped and that was the last thing he wanted. He thought that the factory should do its utmost to solve the problem and suggested that the members of the deputation should approach the Health authorities. He promised that the Public Works engineer would inspect the position, while he would make personal representations to the Department of Agriculture.