ASHBURTON NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19201, 15 October 1930, Page 13

ASHBURTON NEWS.

LOWER RETURNS FOR DAIRY PRODUCE.

The 1929-30 season will go down in the history of the dairying industry as an unusual and remarkable one, stated the chairman, Mr W. T. Lill, at the antouai meeting of the Ashburton Cooperative Dairy Company yesterday. He said unusual because of the low prices, coupled with increased production, and remarkable on account of the rapid changes which took place in waxing and standardisation. Most sections of the dairy industry had been prepared for gradual recession to a lower scale of values, but few predicted such a rapid slide as that which occurred during the past season. The low prices which ruled in the past for butter-fat, and which, it seemed, were likely to rule in the future, were reflected to a great extent in the farmers’ returns. It was obvious, therefore, that the decline in the returns would have to be met by better means of production. With this end in view, herd-testing was the only feasible means which lent itself to a readjustment of the fall in the suppliers’ returns. He suggested to dairymen the growing of more winter feed for cows. With 'lower prices ruling in the future, they would have to look for lower costs, which meant bulk production. It was obvious that a factory with a reasonably large output could manufacture much more cheaply than a factory with a minimum output. The industry should eliminate the building of small factories, and concentrate on bulk production. If all the milk and cream produced in the Ashburton County was .sent to one factory, a reduction in overhead costs of id per lb of butterfat would be an established fact, and suppliers would participate to that extent in increased payments. Agricultural and Pastoral Association. -At a meeting of the General Committee of the Ashburton A. and P. Association yesterday afternoon, Mr 11. C. B. Withell presiding, the Canterbury Association intimated that it had been impressed by the scarcity of young men to take up judging. It asked the local association to nominate two young men who were interested in each of the Border Leicester, English Leicester, Corriedale and merino sections. The Canterbury Association would select a member to be associated with the judges at the Christchurch Show. The request was referred to the Sheep Committee. Unemployed Register. A meeting of the Ashburton unemployed was held in the Arcade yesterday morning when thirty-seven married men with 116 dependents, and ten single men handed in their names. Copies of the list were subsequently handed into the Borough and County Council offices, and in the most necessitious cases work will be given as opportunity offers. Only isolated inquiries are at pre* sent being made for labour in Ashburton and the outlook for the immediate future is not encouraging. Ladies’ Golf. The draw for the eclectic match to be played by the lady members of the Ashburton Golf Club on Saturday is as follows:—Mrs Kennedy and Mrs J. B. Nicoll, Mrs Brodie and Mrs J. M’Rae, Mrs L. J. Watt and Miss Bonnington, Mrs J. T. Smith and Mrs S. Thomas, Mrs F. Watt and Miss Millichamp, Mrs F. Seldon and Mrs W. Lane, Mrs J. Lane and Mrs W. Thomas, Miss Madden and Mrs Billcliff, Mrs Innes and Mrs Jones, Mrs Ryburn and Mrs Miller, Mrs Lewis and Miss Wdtt, Miss Newton and Miss Rawnsley.