THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Issue 12185, 21 September 1911, Page 4

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

A SHORT SEASON PREDICTED

In the course of an interview with a Press reporter, Mr R. Ellison, | London manager of the National ; Dairy Association, who is leaving for England in a 'week , 0 r two, after having spent about tw 0 months in the Dominion, said that the whole of th 0 North Island is extremely dry, especially in the Waikato and Tamanki. I This, thinks Mr Ellison, makes the outlook none too promising. At present it appears that there will be another short season. Some of those factories that have already sold butter for future delivery have cut I down the amount considerably, owing |to their fear that they will not be iable to fulfil contract?. In Canter- ! bury, and right away through the [South Island, he said, the conditions ! are even worse than in the North Island. More butter has been dis- ! posed of in the colony this season on f.o.b. sales than for a number of years past, and prices as high a s 11 |d per lb have been, offered " and refused. A lot of cheese has been sold at figd per lb f.o.b.

HOME SEPARATION. | There is one thing that Mr Ellison | thinks all dairy companies should reI cognise, and that is that there is j almost a certainty of the home reI parator system, coming in New Zealand. Already all the country north ! of Auckland is worked on that ph:i, i and it has also got a very strong ihold south of Auckland in the WaiI kato, and is gradually getting hold ;in most other districts. Mr Ellison, ! says that, generally speaking, the effect of this system wall be to lower the quality of New Zealand butter. ' From his own point of view, he [thinks that some control should be ; exercised over the delivery of the j cream, so that the quality could in same measure be safeguarded. Otheri wise within a very few years the j high reputation at present enjoyed by • Zealand butter will rapidly fall i down to the level of Australia, the I hulk of which is made from bemogathered cream.

j CHEESE PROSPECTS. Mr Ellison says that in many dis jtricts factories that are at present j making butter are going gradually ito take up chese-making. There is every indication that during the next i few years New Zealand cheese will j have to fill the place of much of the j Canadian cheese that at present is [ reaching the English market. While jhe recognises the amount that is bei ing done by the Government and (their officers, at the same time a lot | more should be' spent on the dairy industry, as it is almost certain ! that New Zealand will in time be- ! come one of the greatest dairying countries in the world. The Minister for Agriculture should be the most important official in connection with the administration of this country's affairs. ADVERTISING THE DOMINION. Mr Ellison spoke also of the advertising of the Dominion. "Darin;' my time in London,'' lie said, "1 have been extremely grieved to find that our country and its possibilities are so little understood. I feel that a great deal more use should be made of the High Commissioner's office and staff than at present i 6 the case. The Australians are in many ways ahead of us in advertising and pushing their country to the fore. I feel that a determined effort should be made on the part of the Government to see that New Zealand produce of all kinds is better advertised and made known to the British public."