DAIRY FACTORY FOR THE WAIMEAS.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8246, 13 May 1895, Page 2

DAIRY FACTORY FOR THE WAIMEAS.

The be was a large attendance of settlers , from every part of the Waimeas on Saturday j evening* at the Oddfellows' Ba'l, biohmond, , to bear Mr Sawers, the dairy expect, and to ; take what aoiion was deemed neoessary to- \ wards ftaiting a dairy factory: , Mr Talbot, the Mayor of Richmond, waß ( vbted to ihe chair,- and briefly inirodaoed Mr , Sawers to the meeting. ( Mr Saweis Baid he wast a Government , official, and some people formed an opinion ] of officials like that which was formd of a „ young Presbyterian minister, who was desoribed as having mere jaw than judgment. , However, he was pleased, at the request of j Mr Graham, their member, to ba present, , and to have an opportunity afforded him of , making an acquaintance of the district and ■ people to whjm he had previously only been ' known by repute. He was identified with the dairying interests of thia Colony, but he oo a! d assure them that he *as far more at horns in a dairy faotory, directing the praolioal supervision of the faotory, than he was appearing on a public platform to deliver a lecture. He was not going that evening to attempt to give them an elaboration of the theoretical branoh of the eubjec 1 ;. They had at a previous meeiing affirmed that it was desirable to establish a ddry faotory in the district, so he would confine hia few remarks io ebow the benefit? to be derived by oarrying on the dairying interest by means of a faotory conducted on th-i (o operative system: He pointed oat that suggestions too nnmerourS to mention had been made with a view to work reform in tha dairy syaletn, but now it wa3 be ieved that the future success ot the dairying industry was ensured by the inauguration of the factory system, which was based on the idea tb&t time wa=) money, atej the responsibility of producing the artiole waß placed in the hands of the few instead of the many. He next pointed out that tbe faotory system waa the obeapeet for procuring a building, and a well-equipped plant, whioh oould produce a firßt-olasa article at a much lower cost than any dairy farmer was able to do by his own endeavors. He trged that the factory system was now beyond the experimental Btigp, and stated that there were 207 daity factories now at work in the Colony, which with a few exceptions bad proved moat succsesfu', the few exceptions being tbe fault of tha people in charge, rather than of tbe system. He assured them that the settlers in th se districts whire factories had been established were quite as pnnctilious with regard to the expenditure of their pounds, shillings and pence aa the settlers in the Waimsas were, and he was confident those settlerß would cot engage their capital in the work if the f aotories were not profitable. He said be had been round with Mr Grahan? and had a look at a large portion of the district, and be was really surprised that they had not bad a faotory at work many years ago. He asserted that that district was second to none in New Zealand for dairying purposes, whioh made it all the more surprising they had not had a faotory at wo k long ago. He was positive a factory would prove a success, be of the utmost profit to the dietriot, and a substantial benefit to tbe farmers individually. He hoped that they would not allow local jealousy to interfere with the establishment o« a factory, but that they would all pull together for tbe success of the undertaking. He was sorry no hdieß were present, as they were deeply interested in tbe question. He wished tha farmers' wives would strike, and put their husbands in for making the b attar, then there would be a faotory speedily established in the district. Judging from what he had seen of that district, he thought in a considerable area they oould keep one cow for every two acres, and if it was poßsible for them to do that — if brainß were used in tbe work— there was no earthly reason why a faotory should not pay as well in that disrict as in any other part of the Colony. He next pointed out that the factory Bjstem was tbe basis ou which the dairying interest was carried out ia other countries, as well as in New Zealand. In Canada, whiob supplied England with nearly 50 per oent of her imported cheese, 94 4-sths per oent of that cheese was manufactured in 00-operative factories owned by th? settlers themselves. Denmark, which supplied England with over 40 per cent of her imported butter, had no less than two thousand cooperative factories. Co-op ration was the tendency of the age, as seen in the construction of railways, Ehip canals, bridges and oth<r works. He pointed out in establishing a factory, they would not only have ihe experience of other factories to guide them, but tbey would also have every assistance from tbe Agricultural Department, whioh would not only supply them with plans and specifications, information as to procuring tbe plant, but one of the experts would come and sse thtt nothing was going wrong, and that the factory was equipped with the best modern appliances. He urged npon them to go in for a factory as a branoh of their agrioulture. There was room in the dißtriot for cne of the largest dairy factories, one of 1,000 to 1,500 cow* oapaoity, whioh would mo&n £15,000 to £20,000 of English capital being annually brought into the dietriot. He would recowm«nd that they should go in for establishing a cheese fao'.ory, and inoorpor&ti a company with a capital of £2,000, in 2,000 shares ; 2s 6d to ba paid on application for Bhare3 ; ,2s 6d to be paid on allotment; and the balance (15s) to be liquidated by deducting one shilling from the payment made on every 60 gallons of milk supplied. He lecommecdei a cheese faotory because of the vicissitudes of the transit of butter, and because cheese was a mnre pr finable product. They oould build the faotory so as to add to it butter-makipg for the looal market. He would not Bdvise making butter for exportation to England, for he felt it woald be a failure to do so owing to tbe rißk of Bending it to Wellington for transhipment He pointed out that they had good and level roads, and that taking milk to tbe factory would be tiivial work compared to what it was in other pa»ts of the Colony. As to site for a factory, be should Bay somewhere about the Appleby road. He oonoluded by stating he was willicg"to answer any questions. (Applause.) In answer to Mr 7. A. Cook, Mr Saweru said the batter was sent from Taranaki to Welling ton by night trains on Tuesdays and Fridays, in insnlated vans. Any tent by steamer errived ia anything but first-ola^s condition. There waa a movement now to erects freezing works at the Breakwater at New Plymouth, and to get 000 l chambers in the steamers. Cheese paid better then butter, being £d per gallon in favor of cheese. The Stirling factory in Otago laßt year had paid dd per gallon for milk, declared a 10 per oetit dividend, placed £150 towards depreciation of plant and building, and placed £50 to a reserve fund. Again, a cheese* factory was not so oottly to equip. A batter factory wi<h 500 cows would cost £1,200, while the oost of a obeeae factory would be £300. In answer to Mr A. Barley, Mr Sawera said one acre of land would be sufficient for a faotory, bnt to allow for expansion of businejß, be woald advise two acres being prooured.

Inanewer to Mr A. Harley, Mr Sawera said good water was indiepeneible. If they had the factory in the Boroogb of Biobmond, serious trouble might arise as to drainage, owing to the possibility of emells from the factory. They could lift water cheaper from a well thsn paying the Corporation for water. If they asked him to choose a Bite for the factory he would do co. It should be a central one, where the most milk coald be Obtained within a fair radiuß. In answer to Mr G. Field, Mr Sawera said milk oon'd be taken by ro»d ten miles wiihout injury, and ly traia forty initte. In amumer the milk should be tt the factory not lster than 830 a.m, and 9or 9.30 in winter. It should be kept from the sun as much as possib'e. The factories were generally open f«rom 6 to 8.30 a.m to receive mi:k. He, would not erect a factory to make batter far exportation, bteau?e he knew it would end ia failure.. In answer to Mr A. Harley, Mr Sawera siid id per gallon for twenty miles and under was charged on the railways for the Carriage of both milk and cream. In answer to Mr John Avary, Mr Sawera said the coat of producing bother at the factory was fi per pound, and of cheese £d. In answer to Mr Pettit, Mr Sewers said that no charge was marie on the railways for thq return of empty milk cans. In reply to Mr G. Fiuid, Mr Sawerß laid milk wai received cnoe a d*y at the factory. In reply to Mr P. Best, iVfr Sawers said milk was teceived at the factories on Sundays during t*e months of October, November, December and January. The lest of the fear they did not work on Sundays. Mr Graham, M.H.8., spoke at length, and arged upon toe farmers the necessity of ; >ing in heartily for the factory. Ha aeked ihem to remember Mr Sawerp' statement that [or carrying on the dairying i itaisst they had % district tbat was second to none in New Zealand, a'eo that every faoiity for starting a factory was placed at their hands by the Agricultural Department. He stated he was (june willing, if they allowed him, to lake some sbare3 in the undertaking. He pointed out that in Taranaki, where it took an expert six weeks to get fourteen persons to take a live interest in .starkicg a factory, there were dow fifty-seven factories working saae&sially. He also pointed ont that Mr Sawers had stated £2.000 as the nominal capital for a EiCtory, out that amount was stated to allow for expansion of business, erecting creameries, and to save the expense of re-register* ing. Aft ft paying the two half-crowns per share the balance could be fioano?d, for the Banks were inclined to give better terms to suoh undet takings than to others. He laid great stress npon the advantages offered by the Agricultoral Department of supplying plans, specifications, information as to where to get plant, and the supply of expert supervision, all free of charge He urged that the establishment of a factory would give them a monthly ensured income, and they ooold go in for keeping pig?, and aa they had a good ourer in Mr May in their midst. 1,000 to 2,000 good pigs could find a local market. He strongly urged them not to let the present opportunity slip away, for he felt confident if they did establish a factory it wou'd be a success, and they would then wonder why they had not b arted one years ago. They were indebted to the Government for Bending Mr Sawars so quickly to the district, and to Mr Sawerß for the information he had given them, i Applause.) 1 1 reply to Mr John Avery, Mr Sawera said the Ucual prico paid to supplier of milk for cheese was 3d per gallon. Even if they had the cool chambers on the steamers ani iisulaied vans on the railway, he woald prefer a cheese factory, bb oheese waß a more profitable production. At the butter factories 2d to 2|d per gallon was paid for milk. In answer to Mr G. Field, Mr Sawers said a first-ela-a dairy could be maintained by keeping ehorthorne, Guernsey, and Ayrshire breeds of o --ws. In reply to Mr Hooper, Mr Sawerß said a refrigerator would not be needed in making butter for the local market. A refrigerator cosi between £260 and £270. In reply <o Mr Graham, Mr Sawers said the ooEt of erecting a cheese faotory for 450 cowa would be £800, and to add a batter plant thereto, would oost an additional £100, or £1200 in all. In reply to Mr G. Field, Mr Sawera said he would not start either a oheese or a butter faotory with less than 350 oows. In answer to Mr Simon, Me Siwers said a factory could be added to without depreciating the first outlay. A factory costing £800 for 450 cows, could be added to for another £100 so ag to do for 650 cowe. The Cardiff factory had been edded to three times, and now had a milk supply of 4000 gallons per day. In reply to Mr A. Harley, Mr Sawerß Ea'd the average of milk wbb three gallons per cow p?r day in the height of the season. Gowb ought to be milked ten monthi in the year, but were not milked much over eight? months, but this was being gradually reme* died. Mr T. A. Cjok said he had not the least doubt of the advantage of a factory. The storekeepers knew that dealing in butter, waa a loss from beginning to end. It was far better for the milk supplier to get his cash so as to speed it where and how he liked. Everything was now at t very low ebb, and if they did cot s ir themselves their dairy produce would be out o! the market altogether. Some ten or twelve years ago, good batt-r was selling at three pounds for a shilling, but it was not co bad now. He felt sure a factory would be a eucoess, and considered the cow owners should be the shareholders. He moved — " The desirability of establishing a dairy factory having been affirmed, tbat the following gentlemen be appointed Provisional Director* to take the necessary prelimioaty steps to give effect to tbe proposal, namely; Messrs G. Reay, A. Hariey, Phillip Best, J. Glen, J. Beet, W. D Harkness, W. R May, Wm. Best, J. B Bartlett, F. Green, I. Tannicliff, F. Hooper, B. R Higgins. G. B Field, G Taibot, L. Palmer, J. Avery, J. Sharp, jnnr, John Graham and T. A Cook, with power to add to their number, Mr G. Reay seconded the motion, wbioh was carried without dissent. Mr Talbot said the time was coming when they would not be able to Bell dairy butter at all. They had better go in for the faotory, and try to make it a sacoese. Mr John Avery moved, and Mr W. Coleman seconded, a vots of thanks to Mr Sawers and to the Government. Mr Sawera hoped the result of the meeting wjnld be practical, and that it would not be the la=t time ha would appear among them in his official capacity. He promised them he would see tbat they had a fair start with tbe factiry, whicb he *aa confident woald prove a Buoceas. (Applause.) A vote of tbaoks to the Chairman brought the meeting to a close