The Waikato Times, THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE, AND KAWHIA ADVOCATE. Established Thirty-Four Years. THE OLDEST DAILY NEWSPAPER IN THE WAIKATO. THE LARGEST CIRCULATION OF ANY DAILY PAPER SOUTH OF AUCKLAND. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1906. OUR STAPLE INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8089, 28 December 1906, Page 2

The Waikato Times, THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE, AND KAWHIA ADVOCATE. Established Thirty-Four Years. THE OLDEST DAILY NEWSPAPER IN THE WAIKATO. THE LARGEST CIRCULATION OF ANY DAILY PAPER SOUTH OF AUCKLAND. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1906. OUR STAPLE INDUSTRY.

Tin: phenomenally high prices ruling for dairy produce from New Zealand oil the I'Jnglish markets is a most ' encouraging sign that our claims to , tirst place tire steadily advancing. i This of course is almost solely the re- ' suit of improved methods of maiiulae--1 tui'e, and on this alone can New Zealand depend lor maintaining her [dace. Pride of place in cheese manufacture is held by Canada, which practically limits her energies m dairying to the export of that pi odui't. lier output of butter is not more than one fourth that of cheese, and the Canadian ' cheese-maker is perhaps the most ; proficient in the world. There is no reason why Mew Zealand should not place cheese-making in a more prominent place. As Canada almost confines herself to cheese, so do we to 1 but'u; us far as the export tiade is concerned,. lit ;> small proportion of the former tiiidiug itv wi y to London. This is certainly not on account of low prices, for the rates ruling now for cheese tire higher than they have ever been. In Taranaki several of the smaller companies arc taking advantage of this by installing dual plants, so that they will he able to folio v. market fluctuations. While this arrangement no doubt lias much to co.emend it, experts generally do not approve of the manufacture of butter and cheese in the same building There is no douht t!.':'' ere long many ot these companies will confine themselves to cheese manufacture, ] which is now beginning to come to the front in Taranaki, though butler making must always lie the first consideration in New Zealand, lie-! poets from Loudon firms are decidedly encouraging as to the future. New Zealand supplies are expected to show an increase, but this will depend largely on the price of cheese, which, during the past season conj siderably reduced the production of butter. The unfavourable weather in spring and the droughty conditions in part of the Nottlj bland also assisted to bring about the reduction of I-'."I tons in the quantity exported. The Canadian make of butter, always uncertain, is this year more difficult to estimate than ever, but at present an export similar to that of last year seems piobable, although the high price ruling lor cheese is iuducing factory managers to turn then atteittion more to that commodity. Euro- ; pean supplies are likely to he augmeuted, although the increasing prosperity ol the artisans in the itiu.unfucti >ing towns of Europe will cause a greyAe* homo consumption, and i thereby reduce the amount For export ; but as a more liberal supply of Siberian butter to Continental markets is generally looked for this will fill the increased demand of the artisans and release a similar amount "f European bu ter for British marj kbto From the United States it is almost re 1 ia.'i; Meal er supplies v> ill arrive, as tho*e of the past year were abnormally large. The home output of butter will probably be less than last year, and tie improvement in trade will increase tue purchasing power of the masses. The general outlook for Australia and New Zealand butter during the approaching j .jii...,!' is very favourable, and it | Jooks as ifevei. .'::sl year's exceptional I ! prices were to be exceeded Already | i>:i!es ol New Zealand bu.tei 4.a 1 , been effected lot October-March shipment at higher prices thai: mlcd last season, and prese.it indication!* appear to point to these conditions being maintained for some time to come.