THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1781, 20 June 1913, Page 6

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

TUBERCULOSIS DECREASING. EXPERTS' VIEWS ON A BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. (By Telosraph—Spccial Reporter.) Palmerston N., Juno 1!). The annual smoke concert in connection with tho National Dairy Show to-night was attended by about HO, Major Dunk presiding. During the evening Mr. I!odder, on behalf of the association, presented Major JJunk with a handsome silver ink-stand in appreciation of his many services to tho committee since the inauguration of the dairy show. The toast of tho National Dairy Association was proposed by Mr. J. A. Nash, the Mayor of l'almevston North, who contended that the association had done a great deal in tho interests of dairying in the country and had also done much for the annual winter show. Mr. Harkness said that ten years ago the association sent away 10,0(K) tons of butter and this year 18,000 tons. In 1903 they sent , away 2G17 tons of cheese and this year 30,000 tons. (Applause.) Olio would realise the importance of the dairying industry when they knew it was north .£4,000,000 a year to the country. This year the National Dairy Association had put ,£250,000 through its hands, and that did not include advances which it may have made ou dairy produce. "Make farming an occupation for tenants and you rob it of its dignity," said Mr. Harkness. "I want to see men own the land they aro on, and not working for someone else." He referred to the drawbacks of the share-milking system. The high price of land was another difficulty. No matter how flourishing tho farming industries, if land was going to go to .£"0 and ,£IOO per ncre, as somo said it would, ho could not sco how men without capital could ever make tho land their own. The prospects for nur agricultural industries seemed exceedingly rosy. Tho health of the Department of Agriculture was proposed by Mr. J. M. Johnston, of Palmerston North, and responded to by Messrs. (]. J. Reakes, Director of tho Live Stock Division, E. Clifton, Director of Fields and Experimonts, and D. Cuddie, Dairy Commissioner.

Mr. Clifton said that lie had visited all the shows In the Dominion, and found I'aim err to 11 North the most progressive, but he had to give pride of place to Dunedin, the oldest of the winter shows. Ho also remarked that one of the northern shows was treading cloS9 on the heels of Hi® Manawatu future. Ho was particularly pleased with the announcement of tho Prime Minister that a Board of Agriculture would be set up, because such,a board would establish a bond of sympathy between tho Department and the farmefs in everything the Department did. Tho farmer would by this means be consulted. Mr. Johnston had remarked that he would like to see two boards set up, but Mr. Clifton hoped there would be only one board, for each island had a lot to learn from tho other. Mr. Ecflkcs said he ■ believed tho establishment of a Board ' of Agriculture would be an excellent tiring. Tuberculosis, which cost the country probably twice as much every year as any other disease, had, ho said, been tackled, by tho officers of the Department, and he was glad to say that the work done had borne very good fruit. Recently a, fallingofl in tho ravages of tho disease had been shown. Tho return on March 31, 1911, showed, that 7.01 of tho cattle inspected were found to be infected with tuberculosis. In 1912 the percentage was 7.38, and in 1913_ 7.10. "This is not a very large reduction," said Mr. Eeakes, "but it has this indication standing out. clearly, that tho steady, gradual increase of affected animals seems to have stopped, and I hope that next year wo will show a still greater reduction." In tho case of pigs, the position was even batter. Ho was delighted at this, because nothing in this oountry had given him more worry than tho tuborcular pig, which, however, was still a serious problem. For the year ending March 31, 1911, tho number of pigs affected with tuberculosis was 17.23 per cent., in. 1912 it was 14.30 per cent., and in March, 1913, 1i'.58 per cent., a drop of six per cent, in two years. The decrease was duo in a great measure to farmers not allowing their pigs to run ill paddocks with infected cows. However, wo would never get the diseaso in pigs under entire control until all tho skim milk and whey was pasteurised. Mr. Cuddie said that th# future for dairying was bright, particularly on tho choeso side. Mr. Harkness had spoken of the high prico of land, but Mr. Cuddie thought that even at its present high figuro a farmer with good land, a good herd, and good methods could make dairying pay well. Other toasts were as follow: —"The Factory Managers," "Tho Exhibitors,"" Manawatu Hunt Club," and "The A. and P. Association."