DAIRY COMMISSIONER'S REVIEW.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 June 1928, Page 8

DAIRY COMMISSIONER'S REVIEW.

The review of the dairy industry during the past year, which the Dairy Commissioner (Mr. W. M. Singleton) placed before the National Dairy Association this week, contained nothing of a very startling nature. So far as manufacture was concerned the quality of butter had continued to improve, but the same could not, on the whole, be said Of the manufacture of cheese. The fact that equal prices had been received in London for “first grade,” as Compared with “finest” cheese had added to the tendency to be content with a “first grade” article only. Mr. Singleton maintained that the higher value of the “finest” cheese was beginning to bo recognised in London, and he stressed the point that if the market there is to be satisfied the quality of a brand must be consistently first-class. In this view he is, of course, supported by all who have any acquaintance with conditions in Great Britain. In regard to the future the Dairy Commissioner emphasised two matters in which those engaged in the industry should take action. The first was in regard to the appointment of farm instructors. Hitherto these officials have been appointed under an arrangement whereby the factory, or a group of factories, pays a portion of the instructor’s salary, and his work is, of course, confined. to the suppliers of the factory or factories by whom he is engaged. This has led to two difficulties. The first is that a good deal of time is wasted by travelling to certain suppliers. Possibly only one farm on a road may be visited when for the benefit of the industry it would be well if all received attention. The second difficulty is that where smaller factories have grouped themselves for the employment of an instructor the withdrawal of one of them means the abandonment of the instruction. It is now urged that the scheme should be a Dominion-wide one, with the idea that the industry as a whole will bear its share of the cost, but before this can be brought about there must be a consensus of opinion in regard to the proposed change. The second matter to which Mr. Singleton urged greater cooperation was the cost of transport. He said it was estimated that £35,000 could be saved to the industry if overlapping of collecting lorries could be eliminated, and here again it was for the industry itself to take action. The problem is not an easy one, but that some improvement could be made and transport costs reduced seems fairly evident.