THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1699, 15 March 1913, Page 14

THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

RAPIDLY EXPANDING, The dairying industry is as yet in its' infancy in Poverty Bay, but there ar© many evidences which point to its rapid expansion in the immediate future.' Creameries and butter factories are beginning to make their appearance in various localities, and : 6ome of tho fiigh-

priced fertile lands on the plain surrounding Gisborne and also the adjacent valleys are being converted from sheep to dairying farms. Tho principal dairying centres of-the. future-will in all' probability.'.be tlfe'M.atawai, Eakauroa,' Tahora, and : Motu districts, on the .Gisborne-Qpotiki:. railway line. In the localities mentioned there are thousands of acres or rich,-easy, rolling country, eminently suitable for dairying, and the greater portion of it-will almost certainly be put to. this use when the bush is cleared off. • The rainfall in these localities is more evenly distributed throughout the year than in, other parts of Povorty Bay, there'being. an almost entire , absence of long, dry'spells in the 'summer months which, ■ whllo ■ they do little harm to the sheep-farmer as long as the water supply holds good, make a serious • difference to the dairv-farmers' monthly cheque. A feature of- the-climate in the Motu district is the Boft, warm rains which fall at night, with bright, sunshiny days following, ensuring a constant supply of green succulent fodder which means so much to the dairy "farmer. Another important dairying .district is along the Te A'rai' Valley, from Gisborne to Toa Toa. Quite a number of Factories are in evidenco here, and the returns are such as to encourage the rapid growth of the industry. In some instances large holders are establishing herds 'and utilising their suitable lands for dairying.

Some authorities claim that parts of Poverty Bay aro quito equal to even the best of the TaranaK lands for ■ dairying, and that as the country becomes more settled and improved the export of butter and cheeso from Gisborne will assume very large proportions.