DAIRYING IN HAWKE’S BAY

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1931, Page 8

DAIRYING IN HAWKE’S BAY

NO ADDITIONAL SET-BACK.

FACTORIES ESCAPE LIGHTLY.

Apart from a heavy total'loss to farmers as a result of the destruction of chimneys and damage to homes, the earthquake has had no serious effect upon the dairying industry of Hawke’s Bay. There are few dairy factories in the area which has suffered most severely and, with the exception of a small cheese factory at Taradale, the factories have escaped practically unscathed. Intensive dairying iii the vicinity of Hastings and Napier is a comparatively new industry, -but with the subdivision of large areas, the growing of lucerne and the making of ensilage, it has made marked progress in the past few years. The centre of the industry is at Hastings, and the Heretaunga Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., at Stortford'Lodge is responsible for practically the whole output of the district. Last year the company completed the purchase of the factories, creameries, plant and goodwill of the Waipukurau Dairy Co., and its operations were thereby extended to cover the whole area to a distance south of Waipukurau. In spite of the fact that, with :>malgamation, some of the Hastings factory supply went to Waipukurau, the output of the former, was just over 1500 tons of butter. The output of the factories in the whole area was nearly 1700 tons. All this company’s factories escaped serious damage. At the Heretaunga, factory, which was nearest to the centre of the disturbance, it is estimated that £2OO will easily cover the damage. The chief inconvenience was the loss of electric power, but this was overcome by recommissioning a gas engine, which had lain inactive for five years, and setting lip a tractor inside the factory to provide additional motive power for the churns. Any cream that could not be handled was sent to Waipukurau. Nearer Napier, at Clive, the Napier Dairy Company’s factory is intact and is operating as usual. The building is a light structure aud escaped material damage. At Taradale the Waipiki factory collapsed and appears to be a total loss. The plant is a small one, however, the annual output being about 180 tons of cheese. The suppliers are now separating at home, and the cream is being sent to the Heretaunga factory at Hastings for treatment. '

“As disastrous as the earthquake has been, the dry spell and falling, prices have dealt the dairy farmer a much more serious blow,” said one dairy farmer. “We have had no adequate rain for nearly 12 months and the position is getting really desperate. But still, we have our land and ouc- factories, and, compared with the tragic loss that has overtaken the towns, we should regard ourselves as extremely fortunate. It is now up to us to give what help we can to our less fortunate brethren.”

As a result of the dry conditions wrich have prevailed, the Heretaunga Dairy ..Company estimates that its output this year will be-at least 200 tons less than last year.