IN AND ABOUT THE FARM.

Waipa Post, Volume VI, Issue 271, 9 December 1913, Page 4

IN AND ABOUT THE FARM.

NEW'ZEALAND CHEESE ON EXHIBITION IN LONDON.

New Zealand cheese has been well advertised in London on two separate occasions during the last six weeks. The first instance to which we refer was when the seventy-six crates of cheese sent Home from the last Dunedin Winter Show were displayed in a Tooley Street‘store under the direction of the High Commissioner for New Zealand.. The second 'display comprised fourteen entries of New Zealand cheese at the dairy show held in the Royal Agricultural Hall, London, from the 21st to the 24th October last. The Dunedin Show cheese was sent Home at the suggestion of the Department, ancl included practically the whole of the factory cheese staged at the last winter show held in the southern city. It was of very fine quality. The object in view was to demonstrate to produce-merchants and others at Home what New Zealand could do in the way of manufacturing a high-class article under favourable conditions. Cabled information since received indicates that this end has been gained, the cheese having been favourably spoken of by those who examined it, ancl commented upon-as being'close to that of English make. The cheese displayed at the dairy show at Islington was entered for competition in the colonial classes by dairy companies in New Zealand. Early in this year the Departmefrt circularised a number of companies and pointed out that cheese entered at this show would act as a splendid advertisement for New Zealand, as it would bring our produce prominently before those.who visit this function from all parts of England and Scotland. Here, again, New Zealand cheese has come in for exceedingly favourable comment, the prize-taking entries being all from this Dominion. The total number of. entries in the class was twenty-four, and the awards were as follow : Tariki Dairy Company, Ist; Kaupokonui Dairy Company, 2nd; Hawera Dairy Company, 3rd ; Taratahi Dairy Company, commended; Mangaramarama Dairy Company, reserve. Fuller particulars regarding both these displays will no doubt reach New Zealand in due course, and there should be some interesting items for our dairy companies and others who take an interest in our important cheese industry. The value of such displays can hardly be serving as they do to advertise our produce widely, and also to demonstrate the fact that the cheesemakers of this country can turn out a product of very high quality when they are given an opportunity of doing so. Of even greater importance to the Dominion, however, is the lesson to be learned at this end from the success which has attended these exhibitions of our cheese in London. When we remember that the whole of this cheese was made from milk which had received proper care and attention on the .farms from which it cam’e, and that 011 this account it.was selected by the various factory-managers for the manufacture of these exhibits, it is a “ feather in the cap ” of those farmers who delivered the milk to the factories. On the other hand, the makers of the cheese deserve much credit, because they have proved in a most emphatic way that when they are given raw material of sound and good flavour they can without doubt do their part in turning out a first-class article. The main lesson we can learn from these successes is that if all milk-suppliers would give their milk the utmost care and attention from the time it is drawn till delivered to the factories, the makers would then be able to manufacture a product which would enhance New Zealand’s' name for Chedder cheese, and in turn increase the market value of our output.

As demonstrating this fact it may be mentioned that the three prize-taking lots of cheese mentioned above have been sold tor 90s, 85s, and 80s per hundredweight respectively. The Mangaramarama entry brought 72s per hundredweight, and the balance 70s. The prices realised for the Dunedin Show cheese have not been ascertained. These figures constitute a record for the Dominion, and their circulation should have the effect of encouraging dairy farmers and factory managers throughout the country to put forth their best efforts to turn out a cheese of similar quality.