The Waikato Times With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1916. THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13273, 31 August 1916, Page 4

The Waikato Times With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1916. THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY

That the suppliers to the New Zealand Dairy Association are satisfied with the results of the year's work was amply demonstrated by yesterday's harmonious and enthusiastic meeting; that they have good reason for such satisfaction the report and balancesheet showed; the trophies displayed in the hall bore evidence as to the ability of the Association's staff, while the immense growth of the Association's business indicates capable and efticient management. That the Association ranks as the second or third largest concern of its kind in the world will be gratifying intelligence to the vast body of suppliers and shareholders and also those who have watched it prow from the day of small things and recognise what an immense factor it has been in the development of the dairving industry in the Auckland

provincial district. The immense in-

crease in the Association's turnover in six years from £291,871 lis ad to £872,370 as 2d is a matter for con-

gratulation, and certainly provides ground for hoping that the manager's prediction that the turnover for the

ensuing season will reach £1,100,000 will be realised, for the larger the

amount of raw material manipulated the smaller the cost of treatment proportionately and the better returns for

the suppliers

Tlic note of warning sounded by Mr Pacey, however, should be carefully noted, and the individual supplier must fi'i'irj-nist' his personal responsibility in Hiis I'Miii'.i'fliun. Last season's big iiL-uri'S an- in a large measure due to tin' war, and with tin* failing of peace ni'W i'(iiulili<s will prevail. What, these will be is at present problematical. The war has lifted many 111' nus out id' Hi-' rut <if custom, dispelled prejudices, and altered tastes. It is more than probable that in future it will be the aim of .'very Kuropean country to become as self-contained and to rely as much .is possible upon its own resources; that those countries which have hitherto imported largely will devote their energies to produce more for their own needs. Conditions of lit.' in Britain may undergo a tremendous change. It is not improbable that a policy of closer settlement with increased home production will be inaugurated, in which case, as Mr Pacev points out, it will be only the best quality products that will be in demand, and inferior goods will not find a market. The day has gone—and gone for all time—when anything was good enough for the home consumer. Thirty years ago there was a market for keg butter —and a fearful and wonderful community it was, but with the refrigerator and the advent of the factory product keg butter was "off" and the demand for "factory" became increasingly keen, and factories sprang up in all directions, but the supply did not meet requirements. To meet the

necessities of those to whom butter was almost prohibitive, margarine was placed upon the market, but it made little headway in public favour. The war, however, has been the means of bringing it into prominence, and the prejudice with which it has heretofore been regarded has been largely overcome, and those competent and in a position to judge state that in future it will be a very serious rival to secondclass butter. If, therefore, New Zealand producers wish to maintain their position in the Home market they must make an article of the highest merit. This can only be done by the hearty co-operation of the suppliers, and it is distinctly disquieting under the circumstances to be told that the suppliers arc not alive to the point and that in - imc districts the milk and cream show deterioration through careless handling. Science and improved methods of manipulation may be able to overcome some defects, but it does not need a Solomon to recognise that the belter the quality of the raw material to commence with the better will be the finished product. Secondgrade cream submitted to a certain process may produce good butter, but the product from first-grade cream under the same process would be letter. The future of the industry ■ nends upon placing the finest quality ■ : oduct on the Home market, and to ;isure that every supplier must assist oy sending forward cream of only the best quality. Had the amalgamation proposals been carried into operation provision would have been made for dealing with the careless man, and he J would, in self-protection, have been forced to mend his ways. Under present conditions, however, no effective | method has yet been evolved to deal with him, for he knows that if one company will not take his cream another will; therefore he adheres to his regime of dirt and nastiness, quite unconcerned of the fact that thereby he may ruin an important industry and prejudically. affect the interests of thousands of his fellow settlers. It is hard that the painstaking and conscientious man should be at the mercy of his indifferent and indolent neighbour; but possibly some effective method will yet be found of making the latter realise that he must mend his ways fpr his neighbour's sake, if he will not do so for his own. *

Mr Pacey also emphasised another | important point when referring to butter and cheese, and it is one which dairy farmers would do well to keep in rnind. In considering the relative merits of cheese and butter, Mr Pacey stated that the cheese man probably had the advantage at present. Settlers, however, must keep an eye on the future, and there is a danger of sacrillcing too much on the altar of present advantage for which a heavy penalty will be enacted in the not distant future. We perhaps cannot emphasise our point better than by reproducing the warning uttered by Mr J. Gray at the annual meeting of the Okato Dairy Company, namely: "If we go on slaughtering calves, the day will come when we will have to pay £SO for a cow. If we continue to chase the high cheese prices and deplete the herds of the colony for a few pence per lb of butter fat, we will find that when we wish to replenish our herds it will be necessary to 'part out' to the butter men." We know full well "that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," but it must also be remembered that the avaricious man who "killed the goose that laid the golden egg" bitterly repented his folly.