KORU.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 10294, 29 April 1895, Page 2

KORU.

[FROM OUR OWN CORESrOSDKHT J April 26. —A t a meeting of settlers, held at Koru on Apiil 9th, Messrs Perser, Meredith, F. Julian, and Youllair were appointed a committee for the purpose of getting information respecting the starting of a co-operative dairy factory at Koru, and with this view in end, Messrs Perser and Meredith waited on Mr Wilson, of the Frankley Road factory, wh.3n that gentleman, after showing them over the factory and explaining the mode of starting and working a factory on cooperative principles, very kindly promised to attend a meeting of tho Koru settlers, and fully explaiu the lines upon which the Frankloy Road factory was started and is now being successfully run. On April 24th a meeting of settlers was held at the school-house, when Mr Meredith was voted to the chair, who, after explaining shortly what the Committee had done in the matter, introduced Mr Wilson to the meeting. Mr Wilson, on rising, aaid ho was very pleaded to be before them on this business. Nothing gave him greater or so muoh pleasure as to be able to render assistance or information on the butter question ; in fact, he was an enthusiast as regards butter. He was pleased to sco the settlers of Koru moving in the matter of co-operation, and ho would always feel it a pleasure to assist in establishing this industry. With reference to the matter in hand, there were three things essential to make the enterprise a success, viz., — unity, cleanliness, and temperature. They must unite to make the greatest quantity of good butter of uniform quality at the least possible expense, and this could only be done by the farmers co-operating. In small communities like Taranaki there were sure to be jealousies and little personal feelings; these must be put aside, in fact, you must put your foot upon them ; let them not be talked about, indeed, you should not think of them. Cooperation is what is wanted, so he advised them to be united. With reference to cleanliness, he said —" Ido not mean at the factory alone, but irom the milking of the cowa till the butter is in the market." Factories cannot make good butter unless this is attended to. Things such ns pails and cans must be kept clean from etart to finish before you can ensure clean butter." With regard to quality he said " this is a tender point to speak on as every wife thought she made good butter, but he was very6orry to see in Auckland Taranaki butter of doubtful quality. He at onco came to .the conclusion that something must be .wrong, go being an enthusiast, hedecided to go to Taranaki and try and improve tho butter industry." Ho said " I have been through a great many of the European countries but have seen none better adapted for the butter industry than Taranaki, as grazing i 3 the only payable industry in the Province. The settlers must be united and co-operation would ensure this industry being a success. With referenco to the matter in hand thoro was one thing necessary to make it a success, and that was the site, let it be central. All other things must be left out of tho question. Take your radius and have tho factory as near tho centre as practicable. Unless you decide upon this succe s will not follow." Speaking of the advantages of factories over tho old system he said, "he had seen men bring milk ever five miles to the factory and thoy had expressed themselves as uuwilling to return to the old system.'' When speaking of temperature he said, " that cream should never be more than 60 degrees, aud it would be better if kept nt 50 degrees. Farmers generally were too neglectful of their cream. It should never stand more than three or four days. Cream should be churned when lipe, not before or not after or there would be a loss in the butter. A good manager should bo able to tell when the cream was ripo. He then explained the effects of bacteria on butter and cream and the effects that temperature had on bacteria. He explained that a good factory could bo started with 300 cows at an expense of not more than JE4OO. £400 3hould do it comfortably. Mr Wilson recapitulated what was said at tho Bell Block meeting, which has already been reported, and, in conclusion, urged the settlers present to combine and start a co-operative factory. Should they do so ho would only be too happy at all times to render assistance), both with advico and by putting tho members into the way of doing things on tho most economical lines. Thu settleis then voted Mr Wilson a unanimous vote of thanks for his address, and Mr Wilson left when tho following resolutions were carried :—(lst): —(1st) That a co-operativo factory bo started at Koru, to bo allied " Tho Koru Co-operative Butter Factory, Limited " ; (2nd) that Messrs Perser, F. Julian, Meredith, Mace, and Schwaim bo a committee to make tho necessary arrangements for starting. A vote of thanks to the chairman brought tho meeting to a close."