DAIRY RESEARCH

Southland Times, Issue 20794, 7 June 1929, Page 7

DAIRY RESEARCH

PROPOSED LABORATORY

SITUATION IN SOUTH ISLAND CONFERENCE SUPPORTS SCHEME (From Our Special Reporter.) Dunedin, June 6. The question of the establishment of a dairy research laboratory in the South Island was discussed at length by the conference of the South Island Dairy Association to-day when the following remit from the executive was considered: 'That, as the establishment of a research laboratory in the South Island to deal with the local problems is considered to be essential to the welfare of the industry, the executive of the association be instructed to take any further steps they may consider necessary to have a laboratory set up as soon as possible,” The scientific aspect was discussed by Professor W. Radctt, of the Central Research Institute (Palmerston North) and Dr Marsden, Director of Scientific and Industrial Research, and after a wide discussion it was decided to approve of the principle of the establishment, of a laboratory but to defer the final decision until the next conference.

In moving the adoption of the remit, Mr W. Bryant (Henley) said that last year the matter had been brought up, but it had not been considered advisable to take further action at that time. Since then the speaker, in company with the secretary, had endeavoured to propound a scheme. At first it had been thought that the laboratoryshould be established either in Invercargill or Dunedin, but more mature consideration had led to the view that it would be advisable to establish the laboratory at Dunedin. Although Invercargill was the centre of the largest dairying district in the South Island, it was at the extreme end of the island and too remote from other dairying districts in the island to be of the greatest benefit to the industry. In Dunedin there was available room for the laboratory in the spacious building of the association. Another advantage was that the scientist could maintain close touch with the University of New Zealand, situated at Dunedin, enabling him to secure access to literature which the subscribers to the laboratory could not possibly provide him with. Advice on the cost of setting up the laboratory had been secured and the estimate for the total cost of setting up the laboratory and allowing the foundation of a library, etc., was in the vicinity of £lOOO. Question of Levy.

Mr Bryant said it was suggested that this cost should be spread over five years and the association should be asked to finance the laboratory. For the initial cost the question of a levy on the produce of the South Island had been gone into and it had been suggested that a levy of 10/6 a ton should be made on cheese (estimated to produce £1050) and three shillings on butter (estimated to produce £210), a total of £1260.

The speaker stressed the advantage and necessity of the utilization of science in the industry to put dairying on a line with other industries of the Dominion.

Professor Radett in opening said that the institute had been set up to give service to all parts of the Dominion and the interest in the affairs of the far south was just as keen as in any other part of New Zealand. Proceeding to outline the organization of the institute and its relation to the Massey Agricultural College the professor said that there was available for the institute the whole of the stages from the production of the raw material to the finished product, and consequently there was ample opportunity for research. In equipping the institute factory care had been taken to select appliances to suit New Zealand conditions, and secondly to ascertain what metals were most suitable for the handling of dairy produce. Research in herd testing had been undertaken and all aspects had been inquired into. It had been found that no advantage was to be gained from postponing milking in order to secure a high test, nor was anything to be gained from neglecting an occasion to take all the strippings from the cows. Rather the opposite. An immense amount of data had been secured and as a result of these investigations water heating for cleaning daily utensils had been inquired into and it had been found that a few gallons of boiling water were useless for the cleaning of cans and other utensils. After investigation it had been found that a cream-raising pan placed over a primus lamp was most suitable for sterilizing. A close-fitting wooden lid was placed over the pan with three cream spouts leading out. Sufficient steam was generated to thoroughly sterilize a can within a few minutes and the cans were .so heated that they thoroughly dried out without, any artificial drying system.

Clean Methods Urged. Continuing, Professor Radett discussed milk-testing methods and other research carried out. He urged the adoption of clean methods being followed in milking sheds together with efficient pasteurization and cooling. The various courses taught at the Massey College were detailed by the professor. Regarding the proposal to establish a laboratory in the South Island, the speaker said that the greatest troubles met in a cheese factory occurred from day to day and consequently the requirements of the south could be better met by research at a laboratory as near as possible to where the greatest service was to be given. Dr. Marsden, director of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, said there could be no question of the value of such a laboratory, but it seemed that the estimate put forward by Mr Bryant was on the low side. There was a scarcity of funds in the possession of the Dairy Research Committee available for subsidy of such an undertaking. Mr John Dunlop (Seaward Downs) said that as Southland predominated in the industry as far as the South Island was concerned it was scarcely practicable to convey samples from Southland where the need would be greatest to Dunedin.

Mr D. Rutledge (Farmers’ Dairy Federation) supported this view and reminded the meeting that as far as butter manufacture was concerned, Southland represented more than five per cent, of the whole Dominion or more than the whole of the rest of the South Island.

Mr Gardiner, scientist to the Dunedin Technical College, said it was anticipated that it would shortly be possible to treat samples so that they could lx? preserved for a considerable time.

Several speakers favoured a delay until further information was available. Among these was Mr John Fisher, who contended that Invercargill was logically the most suitable location for a laboratory. If what Mr Gardiner said was so, it was questionable whether it would soon be necessary to establish district laboratories at all. He moved that the conference approve of the principle of establishing a laboratory but that action be deferred pending the report of a technical advisory committee, final action to be decided on at next annual meeting. The amendment was seconded and carried.