The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 26.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 499, 26 April 1881, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 26.

Ei.sewiikuk appears a notification from the Gazette offering a bonus for tlio first fifty tons of choose, or twenty-five tons of butter, exported, which shall be sold at such prices in a foreign market as shall show that the article is of fair quality. The offer is, however, conditional on the butter or cheese beingproduced in a factory working on the American principle. As the manner in which these factories are worked, and even their existence, may be unfamiliar to many of our readers, we extract the following description of their operations from the Globe: —

It must be admitted by the most sturdy Britisher that Americans excel in organisation, and eke out by combined strength results which individual and disjunctive efforts would necessarily fail to achieve.

This is exemplified in the cheese and butter factories, which flourish in the dairy districts of the United btates ; and, so fur as the work on an American's dairy-firm is concerned, reduces the most harassing part of it to a minimum. A wide field for these factories lias presented itself, for instance, in Massachusetts, wnenee ninny farmers have migrated west in quest of more productive soil, the remainder, to the ehargrin of many English capitalists making a specialty of manufactures. In this State nro numbers of farms, each comprising, say, 150 acres, and 35 cows, these being the approximate numbers formulated by Mr AV r m. Saunders in his instructive work upon the American continent. During the year the farmer, his wife, and one man (who lives with the family, and as a member of it), get through all the work, except during hay-making season, when an additional hand is engaged. Corn, fruit and potatoes, in small quantities are cultivated. The value of the land, (dwelling-house and out-houses included), may be estimated at £20 an acre. The farm-hand receives about Ji',) 10s n month, together with board ; or £6 10s without board. When three tl its oldthe calves are generally killed, and the skin of one fetches-Is. Twice a day the milk i-> t«kun to tiie nearest cheese-factory, where it is soli) nt a hail'-ponin a pound, the farmer being at liberty to fill his cans with whey or buttermilk, and thus secure for his pigs a feed which is not the less nourishing because he gets it for nothing. At the eheesefiictory facilities are provided for rea-iv-ing and weighing milk, which is "poured

into tinned receptacles about 3 sft long and sit wide, surrounded with running , cold water wlrn it is desired to cool the milk, and with steam when it is to be heated." The milk from 800 cows is j made into cheese and batter by three men and a girl. Thus, with American farmers, the bother incident to butter and cheese inading , is avoided. Furthermore, butter and ahcese factories enable a- merchant to guarantee the supply of an article of uniform excellence, and, therefore, easy to On the other hand, where trivial quantities arc made at the various farms, the quality varies in (to t!ie merchant) a most tantalising manner, the difliculty of buying is enhanced a thousand fold, ami there is ho tangible warrant, that, if bought, a small lot will prove saleable. ow, the principle underlying the establishment of these factories is the grand one of co-operation. In our opinion this principle is destined yet to effect a peaceful revolution in society, and to be the great lever by which those whose chief capital consists of the 1 bor of their hands will be enabled to raise, themselves from a position of dependence. So far, then, we are glad to see the Government prepared to give encouragement to institutions established on this basis, though we feel sure that the act lias been committed in ignorance of their real scope and tendency. At the same time we cannot help thinking that the kind of factories sought to be encouraged by this proclamation are not suited to the present circumstances of the Colony. That such industries as the production of cheese, butter, and meat of qualities suitable for export deserve encouragement hardly admits of controversy. The question is whether a wise step lias been taken in limiting the award of a premium to the two former articles to those produced in a factory. There is no doubt that the factory system possesses gicat advantages. It economises labor. By combination it is pos ible to huvc the very best appliances in the shape of machinery, room for storage, etc. The quality of the article produced will not only be Letter, probably, than that produce 1 by private individuals, but it will certainly also be more uniform. And this is a great point in connection with an export trade? when a certain brand establishes its position, and is likely to maintain it permanently.

But, in spite of all these advantages, wo venture to think tnat t lie factory system is inapplicable to the present circumstances of tin's Colony. There may be parts ot the country, blessed with railways and good roads, where it would be possible to w> rk it, but these arc just the localities where agriculture, and not dairy farming, is likely to predominate. To take the Peninsula as an example of the locality where the 1 tter industry prevails, it is evident that it would be quite impossible for the farmers, to take milk to, and from a factory, it is quite difficult enough to convey the cheese, the result of a season's labor, to market. We think, therefore, that the Government have acted unwisely in placing the restriction they liiivo done on the bonus for this export. Several of our dairy farmers might otherwise have entered the lists, and if the quantity were too large for one, two or three could have combined together for the purpose.

However, if the offered reward lias the effect of stimulating in any way the promotion of articles of export for Avhich our soil and climate are eminently fitted, a great good will have been achieved, and we congratulate the Government on the step which they have taken.