FARM DAIRY INSTRUCTION

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1929, Page 24

FARM DAIRY INSTRUCTION

WARD SYSTEM ADVOCATED.

OMATA COMPANY TO CARRY ON.

“About this farm dairy instructor, are we going to keep him?’’ asked Mr. R. Marsh at yesterday’s meeting, of the Omata Dairy Company. “I don t think he is much good to us. We don’t „see him from one year’s end to another. Mr. Telford senr., eaid that every time * the test dropped a point on his place the instructor came along. He did not resent it and thought the service provided was a very good thing. He did not know what it cost, of course The secretary (Mr. H. Baily): It cost £29 15s lOd for. the year. On being called on by the chan-man, the manager (Mr. J. Lynch) said he did not think it advisable to dispense with the services of the instructor, as he helped the farmers to keep up thenquality. Periodically he inspected the books of the company and then visited the farms where he thought his advice might put the trouble right. It meant a good deal to the supplier, for if his cream dropped to second grade for a few days the loss to him was considerable. One visit from the instructor would probably put the supplier right for the season. He had, of course, a big district to cover, and he therefore onlylooked up those in trouble. “I think the district is rather too big,” said the chairman (Mr. G. H. Bell). “The sooner the ward system is introduced the better.” He said he, himself, had been a little disappointed this season at not seeing the instructor. At the same time he recognised he did a great deal of good for those whose sheds needed attention, and that as his district extended from Pihama to New Plymouth, across country that would not be in under a ward system, he had too great an area to covered effectively. Mr. Bell pointed out, however, that the present manager and two assistants had been carrying on with a considerable increase in output. If, therefore, the manager were called upon to perform some of the work now undertaken by the instructor, the compa-iy would probably have to engage additional assistance. It would probably cost the company just as much as at present. Mr. Telford: Is he an instructor or an inspector! The chairman: An instructor. Mr. Telford: Well, he should not come on a place when no one is about and leave a bit of a note.

Mr. Telford considered the instructor should see the suppliers concerned and give them a few points. ° Mr. Bell said that as the company paid part of the instructor’e salary it asked for a report from him on the sheds visited. At the same time he left a report in the sheds. Mr. J. B. Marsh said the instructor was the right man in the right place. He had treated him very well. He moved that the instructor’s services be retained. Mr. W. Maloney agreed that the instructor wag a good man, but he sometimes found himself up against a stone wall in the regulations. Either the supplier had to bring his shed completely up to the requirements or leave it alone altogether. Many farmers could not afford to carry out all the improvements in one year. He considered- the regulations should be relaxed a little to allow improvements to be carried out gradually. He agreed that the ward system was the best. In fact, he felt at times that the company should close down on the present system and force the Government to introduce a national system. Unfortunately, some of the companies had pulled out of the group, with the result that the instructor had to go down as far as Pihama.. He knew of suppliers who, when their grades had gone down, had had to wait a fortnight before the instructor could get to them. That was the. weakness in the present arrangement. Why should a few of the factories be compelled to pay for a man to help build up the quality of produce, while others were doing nothing? It was eventually decided that the directors should retain the services, of the instructor and that the dairy division of the Department of Agriculture should be recomniendedr to introduce the ward system. Mr. R. ilarsh said that in view of the advice of. the manager and directors on the subject, he would not oppose the proposal to retain the instructors seivices.