The Butter Industry.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue XIX, 7 November 1903, Page 58

The Butter Industry.

OUTLOOK FOR THE COMING SEASON. INTERVIEW WITH MR SPRAGG. Mr Wesley Spragg, managing director of the New Zealand Dairy Association, has recently visited the southern portion of this island on business connected with his Company. On being interviewed on his return, Mr Spragg reported an early and very favourable season for daily farmers, the weather south having been warm and suitable for the growth of spring vegetation. The output of dairy produce will, if the present conditions continue, be a record one. Farmers generally appear to be contented with the outlook. English market prospects are slightly improved, and this helps towards a sentiment of contentment. What are the prospects with regard to prices! Mr Spragg: The present value of land, especially in the Taranaki district, does not leave much margin for a reduction in the price of butter. A couple of fairly bad seasons would be felt seriously by farmers who are producing milk on this high-priced land, especially where, as is very often the case, the present “owners” are paying interest on heavy mortgages to the people who have quitted to them at boom prices. Comparing the Auckland province with “the Garden of New Zealand,” I think that taking it all wind Auckland is much the more prosperous and sounder place to live in. Did you notice much progress in the dairy industry? Well, as far as the manufacture of butter is concerned, the only advance of late years—say the last two or three years—has been in quantity, and practically no improvement has been made in quality. Of course this is a general statement, and applied to the general out-turn of the colony. This is my judgment upon what I saw, and I also found it to be the opinion of others who had had opportunities of judging. What do you regard as the chief deficiency? The fault is not difficult to locate. The Government has done something—perhaps a good deal—to improve the factory end of the business, and will possibly continue to instruct factory people to some minor advantage, but the radical fault is to be found in general carelessness in the production of milk. Improper feeding—that is, upon improper food—improper milking, under dirty and undairy-like conditions, and general dirt are the foes of the business. The evidences of all these were present in the samples of butter which I examined, and sometimes they spoke—that is. the evidences of these faults—in capital letters, leaded and underlined at that. I do not mean that Auckland has immunity from the trouble —it certainly has not—but Southern conditions intensify the evil. What would you suggest should be done? Mr Spragg: If it were practicable. I would turn Government inspectors and instructors loose upon milk suppliers, and give the factories a rest for a time. I do not mean that inspectors are not doing usefid work in visiting factories, but the urgent need is for amendment at the beginning of the business, that is. at the milking-shed. No subsequent treatment will convert bad milk into good butter. If I had the direction of things I would, at least for a time, put every fraction of available Government assistance at t he disposal of the farmers on their farms and at their niilkinffsheds. I shock! expect more results in the way of improved butter from such help than from any ether application of it. Nothing else would produce any marked effect on butter quality. Mr own ('ompany. and possibly others, nave their < an inspectors going round, but the work to be done is enormous, men as it is of the first importance. This years prospects for dairy people are at least a good average, but with other countries making annual improvement in quality, New Zealand, with the finest natural advantages in the world for dairying, is going to be •utclassed and left behind. Mr Spragg added that he was not sanguine that the Government would lend a hand to instruct and supervise dairy farmers. The cost would be considerable. the work thankless and obscure, and naturally the Government will do

that which has the appearance of being something. But without doubt the important—indeed, the essential—thing is to supervise the milking-shed and secure reform at the first stage of the industry.