THE DAIRYING SEASON.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 831, 1 June 1910, Page 8

THE DAIRYING SEASON.

' NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION'S - REPORT. A PROSPEROUS YEAR, The splendid dairying season now drawing to its close has given tho National Dairy Association one of the most successful. years since its incorporation, hi their annual report, for the year ended . on April 30 tho oxecutivo of the association state the turnover is a great increase oil that of any previous year, and amounted to . -.£182,023, exclusive of advances made ,on consignments of dairy' produce, the' profit and , loss account shows a credit balance of ,£1206 17s. Bd., and the net profit for the year is *C 658 13s. 4dl . During the year tho ■ membership has increased from 109 to 115; seven-co-operative . factories, one proprietary factory, and three exporting firms having joined, whiles two co-operative, factories have retired'through' reconstruction;.-and three exporting .. firms, .as a result of giving -up business in the Dominion. Record Butter Shipment. The Corinthic took the first shipment of Abutter for the season from Wellington on September 9. It consisted of 3341' boxes, and arrived in London on October 19. On December 16 the'Turakina left Wellington with 60,969'b0xes on bciard, a record shipment for a single steamer, and the .largest of the season. Cheese shipping began with the Arawa, 62&0 crates, cn October 7, and the lonic on December 2 sailed with 18,887 crates, : th'e heaviest consignment of the season. The growth, of the dairying industry in those countries which may bo regarded as competitors of tho Dominion is shown in the following table, which gives the exports of butter for the past three . seasons:— 1907-8. 1908-9. 1909-10. '■ : "Tons. Tons. Tons. Argentine : 2,851 3,500 , 3,715 Commonwealth ... 20,8-11 .1-1,020 27,210 New -Zealand 12,824 14,642 16,851 The Argentino shows an increase of 215 tons;.equal to an advance, of 6.11 per cent. Australia denotes a strong re-' covery in its export trade, being 12,590 tons in advance of the previous year, ■ equal* to au increase of 56.1 l per cent. The increase is over 100 per cent, in the States of-Victoria and Queensland. New .Zealand has increased by 2209 tons, equal; 'to an advanco of 15.08 -per cent. ■ Tho expansion in Australia is conclusive proof of the Commonwealth potentialities .when favoured with -good seasons and condi-, '.tions adapted "to 'the ' manufacture of Tiutter. ' Good Tinjes Ahead. The executive, does not think the rapid development, of the dairying-industry, in ±he Southern - Hemisphere will have a /tendency to reduce values to a lower : level. The • population;'of' tho Old -World countries is increasing, some-'countries have become importers that were once, exporters, and others have reached the limit of their capacity in dairy production. ■ "New demands have thus arisen which can only-be met- by the younger, countries. The prospect for the -prodncer, says the report, was probably never better. High prices have ruled for tho season's butter, but cheese has been below last (year's.level. The main factor.in obitaining good values is quality, and with ,exceptions universal satisfaction has been sgi-ven in this respect. Every shipment •■las been landed in good condition, and 'the improvement over previous years is marked. New Zealand butter is becoming better known in the United Kingdom, and the demand has been increased, by ithe opening up of business in new districts. .Cheese and • Crates. The cheese report has been exceedingly favourable on . the whole,' but some complaints have been received as ,to quality and off-flavour. As the' exports are 40.85 per cent, greater than last year, it is a. matter for congratulation . tl'-t tho complaints have been, so few.. The attention of factory directors is uu-ecred' to the imperative necessity for strengthening cheese crates. Many factories still allow the centre batten to'be. too thin,. insufficiently nailed, and in .some .instances not nailed at all. If these defects were remedied it would strengthen ;the crate, minimise the risk of damage, and add to thq marketable value of the cheese.

Op to May 19 thirty-one Homo utearacrs iloaded dairy produce at Now Zealand \ports, as against 18 to 20 in former years. With the greatly-increased dairy exports there has been difficulty in providing adequate space in'the l fortnightly steamers. This has specially been the case with ' cheese, which is stowed in chambers fitted for this cargo alone,' and some 25,000. orates have to be shipped fortnightly in ■ the ibusy period of , the season. ' The contract steamers during the past season have maintained regular time-table dales. In such instances, when tho duo departure has been delayed it was diie to tho difficulty in getting forward dairy produce in for transhipment. The mail steamers have made good passages throughout, and consequently arrivals. have been fairly satisfactory. ' New Shipping Contract, A new shipping contract has been entered into by your executive with the ■present shipping companies for a further period of four years as from October, 1910. The rates of freight will be the same. A new contract, however, provides for the payment of coastal freight .by . the ' shipping companies even if it should exceed 10s. per ton; the arrival in London on the second week of November each year of a contract steamer in place of the third, weok in December; and the dispatch of a weekly steamer during the 'months of December and January. . The last proviso is the beginning »f a regular weekly shipment which will be necessary in the very near future, if the industry maintains its prosont rate of development. The report • concludes with an expression of regret at the retirement of Jlr. J. W. Foreman, of Tikorangi, from taking an active part in the management. After the last annual meeting, Mr. Foreman resigned from the directorate on account of failing health, after having served for a period extending' over sixteen years, with the exception of one year. From 1903 to 1309 he had filled with credit to himself and honour to the asociation the position of president. The association is indebted to him in no small degree for the position it occupies to-day. Mr. R. Dingle, of Stratford, was appointed to fill tho vacancy caused by Mr. Foreman's resignation. Tho Conference Arrangements. The following arrangements are announced in connection with the annual conference of the association, to be held at Palmerston during the winter show. On Tuesday, Juno 21 ,the annual meet- , ing will be held at 10.30 a.m. , The conference will begin on Wednesday morning, when a paper on' "Pasteurisation," to be iprepared by the Factory!. Managers' Association, will he read and discussed. Mr. S. R. Lancaster will speak on dairy cow judging, and in the afternoon there will be another paper by the Factory Managers' Association on "The Treatment of Milk from the Cow to the Cheese Press," and one by Mr. Ellison, London agent of the association, on the London trade. The conference will conclude on Thursday morning witli a paper toy Mr. W. A. Boucher, Government IPomologist, on "The Culture of Apples."

The Tarannki dairy factory lijurps fur She month of April show a marked fnll-Smg-off when compared with previous months. For April, llawcra will pay out .£3274. The umouiit of huttcr-fat received wns 78,58311). Nonnanliy suppliers tool; to thnir factory 2!l,'i:i-Tlb. of 'bnttor-fat, and they will 'receive hhiouk ■them 41122 U. JMls iadory rcccivod 21,0091b. nf lin'tfer-fot, and tht- milk cheque will total £'iH. All the payments twill he at tho ratu ol 10d. pes lb.