NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 169, 31 July 1901, Page 2

NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

e ITS GOOD WORK FOR THE.INDUSTRY. Speaking at a smoke concert at Palm-ei-ston North last week, Mr. J. G. Harkness s<id the object of the National Dairy Associates was to assist the dairying industry and all agricultural interests. If the association were given the support of the farmers I it would do as much for them as the Formers' Union, and that without en-; 'ering iutc politics. As showing the need for combined action being taken, ha would remind them of the present high rates of freight between the colony and London. As an inttmce of this, he mentioned that five-eights of a penny was charged on the gross weight of a box of butter, and in the aggregtte £7 lls on the net weight of a ton of butter. The National Dairy Association was endeavouring to control produce for the benefit of farmers, and also desired to have freezing works, so as'to prevent profit* pas-iog into the hands of capitalists. When it succeeded ia carrying oat the pol'cy of finally uniting the farmers it would be able to approach the shipping companies and demand reductions in freights. If they failed to obtain the reductions desired, it would approach the Government and ask for assistance in the matter, so that prodnce would be carried to London at a lower rate than the amounts charged at tha present tim \ The speaker referred to the remarkab'e progress Taranaki bad made tha dairying industry was established, there, stating that during the list season there was exporlel from New Plymouth half a mill on pounds' worth of butter. The speaker referred to tha introduction of Russian butter to the London market, and dpc'ared he did not fear the cooup 'tition, as Continental butter was d»livered on *he Briu-h markets during our winter month*. Mr. Harkness iealt with the question of child labour in dairying district", which had been raised at the conference by Mr Wright that day. 'He contended .that since the development of dairying in Taranaki tbe children of farmers were better slothed, fed and educated than they w*r« bofore the industry was establi&hed in the district. It was au aspersion on the character of the dairy farmer to state that he was driving his children to death by overwork in the milking of cows, THE DAIRYING CONFERENCE. The conferenc9 of dairymen at Palmerston North Ust week marks one of the most important advances mode in the history of the dairying in this colony, for it taw gathered together a thoroughly representative meeting of dairy farmei s, all of whom entered enthusiastically into the discussions on the various subjects brought up in relation to th« business of railkproductioo. D*irying conferences in the past have been chiefly confined to dairy factory workers, and tbe men who required educating—the milkproducers were generally ' absent, The location of the' conference in the past was evidently a reason for the little interest shown in the proceedings by proluc rs, or perhaps it may be that the dairy farmer is now awakening to th.9 advan'ages of improved methods cf dairying, and ia eager to become a student in the scientific practice of his c»lling. And, a most pleasing sign, farmers freely records of their own experiences in connection with tha different subj cts di-scussed. Such information is of the utmost value, and, recognising this, the Department of Agriculture will haye an official report of the proceedings printed in pamphlet form for free distribution. The result of the conference must be very gratifying to its pi cmoters, the National D tiry Associ»tion. The one regrettable feature in ounection with the gathering was the financial loss. suffered by tbe associition ov.r the exhibition held in connection with the conference. Its educational value, however, was great, and exhibitors made it tbe record show of the colony from a business point of view. Next year it is expected that the exhibition will be held in a more suitable building -i' was held this year in the Theatre Royal-so that the exbibi's can be s'-owti in motion. At the Dundein Winter Show all the machinery exhibits are shown in working order, and, apart from the advantage, no dairy exhibition at Dunedin has equalled that , mad* at Falmerstea North. The conference and exhibition of next year will no doubt ha again held at Palmers'oo, as that centre has proved itself eminently suitable for the purpose. 1 ■' >' ■ j i ... i '-