The Dairy Industry.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1166, 17 June 1911, Page 6

The Dairy Industry.

Dairy produce also shows a shortage in the first four months of tins year, the doorcase in butter being XT chee=e .CG5,709-or a total of XUD.*ia. J no unfavourable weather experienced during the reason is of course accountable- for thf« The dairy industry, however, continues to make wonderful strides, and vlnt has been accomplished during .the nasi four years is positively amazing, romnar i" the value of the exports o bnttcr and cheese for the four years ended M "ch'3l lflO-, with the four years ended March 31 1911 we obtain the following :-

i years to 4 years to March 31, March 31, 1907. 1011. Increase. Butter „ 5,890,037 G. 255,991 359,951 Cheeso ... 1,102,501 4,009,0b 2,J0,,11l

6,998,541 1/1,315,000 - 3,317,005 The increase of £3,317,003 is nearly 50 ner cent and shows remarkable progress. ?Win. however, arises from the expansion of the cheese output, wnchthi*. Season has been the mainstay of the dan, industry. The prosperity of the clairj tamers of New Zealand has been longestinued. but, in the natura order of thin-«i, a set-back may reasonably be exacted In this connection lam still of 5» that the prices of dairy land are maintained at too high a level. New 7eaHid butter suffered severely from the Stition-of the Australian product durin" the season now . closing, and the bad effects were increased by complaints as to the quality oi our product. Keen competition may be expected during tho next season, especially rom Australia, where the climatic conditions appear favourable for . another Native lands, there is yet a considerable amount o country mis Dominion to bo brought into P"f n 1 ' 10 use. In tho northern parts of New Zetland there are great areas of gum lanus, hitherto regarded as worthless, but winch arc now orovihg valuable owing to the fact that the fodder plant pnspalum 'crows freely and luxuriantly on. suqh land. With this land laid down m pnspalum, thousands of dairy cattle could be depastured. Wo may . thus confidently look forward to a.continued expansion ot the dairy industry.

Beef Trust Not to bo Feared. The exports of frozen meat havo increased this' season, partly because . the adverse climatic conditions forced t,io stock into the slaughter yards of the various freezing companies. The meat trade has engaged a good deal of attention owing to various reports as to the intentions of the notorious American Beef Trust. So far as New Zealand is concerned, there is, I think, nothing to fear from the trust, for thcro is no room for it here. In point of fact, it seems to me that so long as the railways m this Dominion arc owned by the Mate it would ba quite impossible for the trust to capture the meat trade. Nor does it seem likely that the trust will accomplish much in Australia. Durin" the past twelve months the world-wide shortage of beef has been accentuated, and the people of continental Europe have demanded the right to obtain supplies from outside sources. Fairly lar«e quantities of Argentine beef have been marketed in Italy, Austria, and Switzerland, and the extension of the market in this direction is inevitable, although it is likely to be a slow matter. New Zealand is bound to derive an indirect benefit. There is also some slight chance of the American tariff on wool being lowered. If this is realised, it will that the values of certain r'asses of wool favoured by the Americans will advance sharply, and remain at a comparatively'high level. Capitalists Nervous. Turning to the- monetary situation, there is no doubt that an abundance oi money is available in New Zealand. Tho scope of its employment, however, is restricted. Any industrial enterprise likely to require much labour is not viewed as a good proposition. Capitalists are unquestionably nervous at the attitude of Lalxnir, and this is to be deplored, for it must bo patent that, unless there be oxhibited a spirit of greater harmony between Labour and Capital no quickening of industrial activity can be looked for. I have the conviction that, if employers and employees exhibited a genuine desire to work amicably together with a mutual

regard for tlio just interests of each other, industries which nrn at present in a languishing condition would spring into reinvigoratcd life and prosperity. Tin's is essential in tlio interests of tho State. Low Prices Coining. Whilst the figures I have placed before you emphasise, in my opinion, (ho necessity for a policy of economy and caution, the- immediate outlook is, speaking generally, by no means unsatisfactory. Although there are strong indications that the produce year will yield a smaller return than the previous one, the difference will not lie great enough to create any real hardship. Tlio coming year promises to be one of low prices for commodities. Already in the United States there has been a decline in values of 23 per cent., and in England and elsewhere the tendency has been downwards. It is probable, therefore, that our products will yield a smaller monetary return', but there should be an appreciable expansion in the volume of the output which should compensate for any fall m values, trade and commerce the world over appear to bo good, and monev is everywhere reasonably cheap. The expenditure of the huge, sums borrowed in London, Paris, and Berlin bv foreign Governments, municipalities, and joint stock companies during the past twelve or eighteen months must keep trade active; but above all, so far as New Zealand is concerned, it. is the trade activity of the United Kingdom that is cf the greatest interest. British trade has been expanding steadily and the records of unemployment show that fewer people have been out of work. So long as British trade is good, the prospects of New Zealand remain bright and promising. '