The Taranaki Herald.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 10707, 2 September 1896, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald.

PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2"1856. i!..iyi,.- ,|. \ ' ' . > ..- l i- •- 1 Mif 0. R. Valentine,, who was formerly chief dairy expert to the New Zealand Government, is now on a visit to the colony, and has been giving his opinion- oh- the prospects of the 'dairy produce trade. In an interview with an Evening Post representative last week, he pointed (Mitwhat heiconsiders are the .egsentja]s { to.aucce.ss in the Ho nq maifcefc, and he gave first place to the importance of producing milk at a 'rock bottom' price, which can only be arrived at by a more general improvement in the breed, and. care'M' treatment '6f cdws/ tidth in tlieir feeding' and shelter, (the latter remark applying chiefly to the southern part of the colony), and care in the production and treatment of the milk before it reaches the factory. Mr Valentine predicts a big fight for the Home market for the next two or three years, but thinks that if ,the colonies will attend to these details — namely, producing more milk per cow — nothing: can prevent them holding their own during the English winter. Denmark and its neighbouring countries during the last ten years, he says, by the sound system oE stall winter feeding, have been enabled to almost monopolise the English winter market, but they are beginning to find that they cannot compete at a profit with Australia and New Zealand. The future rests with the survival of the fittest, and, as far as Australia and New Zealand are concerned, which maintains the high class quality, as there is no profitable opening forany large quantity of inferior Or second grade, qualities. As to grading, 'Mr Valentine sa^s the'supervision and assistance by,the t NeV Zealand Government has been most beneficial, but where, the effect of grading is felt is not af Home, for little notice is'takoti 4here of the grades applied in the colony, but in preventing, to a large extent, inferior and second grades being.^unscrupulously shipped under -spurious brands. Another point Ji'e mentions in regard to the Dairy Ac!; is the clause ensuring the good condition of the mvlk on- arrival at the Tactories, which has proved one of the, most important-^ features in : tbViuprovement of the quality «f the 1 pro'duVei Both butter "and cheese, of the finest quality, from New Zealand, >jr aroj according to Mr Valentine/ gaining favor "in England,, and he speak* confidently oiythefutpre of the trade if proper attention is paid to the production of a Jest-class article, I and he also thinks that there is a great | opening for the trade at the Cape. The chief lesson to be learned,' byonr- dairy faijQors from Mr ., Valentine -appears to be that there'^sVb'iya'^onstant and steady raovemeni, upwards' in the quality of our dairy herds. ' The manu *, facture" and marketing of the produce are, if not' everything' to be desired, at any rate in good hands, and everything that can T b"(}"done'?is being <lcnie to ensur^the -.placing, of b our , Jrat/gr ( and Lche.ese, on the H#me market' in f as 'good condition as ifc.leaves thcfncjboryi.^-But it will • be'' impossible 'to » obtain tlto best results^ unless the r.w hiaidfiaJ-'is' of Hlie ! highest possible quality,, and. it.'j 8 here that., the farmer more" particularly comes in." It should be the aim of.^every. owner of a dairy herd to increase, by every jne'ans in" his power, both' the 'quality 'and quantity of the milkj by judicious feed r ing, and to be continually raising the standard of his herd by weeding out the' worst milkers. Ifc gives a little extra trouble no doubt to keep a register of the weight of each cow's milk, and to make an occasional test, but only by such means can an accurate idea be formed of the merits of each individual cow. It should he remembered, too, that it costs no more to keep, tend, and milk a good cow than a poor one, while the yield from one may be double that from the other. Therefore we would again urge farmers to devote their best attention to improving the milking' qualities of their herds. ■ ■ 4 By their victory over Otago on Tuesday the Tarauaki football representatives have fairly upheld their claim to be con-

sidered the champion rep. team of the colony. It is doubtful whether any other team in New Zealand can claim, as Tara* naki can, that it has fgono through three seasons without a defeat, and it speaks volumes for their defence that, until they met Otago on Tuesday, their line had not been crossed for two seasons ;.> and even then there is a little excuse to be offered) for, without wishing todetfaot ln T atiy way f rottt the merit ttf the great game p*iayed by the visitors, it may b» fairly urged that our men were not playing up to the form displayed against Wellington and Auckland, That is easily accounted for by the fact that, after a fortnight's hard training, they had disbanded on their return from Auckland, and only met again on Tuesday morning, when most of them were more or less stale. The idea has been mooted of sending a Taranaki team to the Old Country to try conclu- ; sions with some of the crack teams there, and very warm support would no doubt be given to such a project if it were possible to carry it out. TLa difficulties, in > the way, however, seem almost insuperable. In the first place, at least thirty, men would need to be taken, and it "w6ulcVbe impossible to obtain another team in Taranaki equal to .the.one that has lately been representing • the province. The prospects of a tour at Home, too, would be seriously injured by khe. fact 'that Rugby football in two or three principal counties is at present under the ban of professionalism, and matches could not be arranged with clubs in those counties, where, otherwise, the best gates would be looked for. There is no doubt that if a. team could be sent Home, it would piove tho best possible advertisement for Taranaki. In again referring to the Opunake' Times article en the breakwater, we only do "so to correct one of ttfo wrong impressions Which the Writer would give to his readers. First of all with regard' to the Wharf) which it is stated cost £18,000 of the ratepayers' money. The actual boat of the wharf was under £10,000, and the money was a portion of the released sinking fund, which was made up chiefly of interest on >un6xpendtid> portions of loan, 8* that it "Was 1 not ratepayers' money in the sense intended' to bVJcdtiveyed. Again, as to the s.ug^estijOn that Government should give a pledge always to nominate at least one country member to the Board,' the writer appears to be unaware, or to ignore the fact, that this has invariably been the rule, and there is no reason to suppose f ;th / a i 't*'Goyerriment fwill depart from it in future.'