THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 671, 4 October 1921, Page 2

THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

OUTLOOK P.KOmiSSWG. WILL PRESENT PRICES HOLD? The indications point to New Zealand this year reaching a record as far as the dairying industry is concerned. This is attributable to the fact that the bottom has fallen out of the wool market, and in consequence a number of sheep farmers have converted their holdings into dairy farms, thus relying on the milking cow to retrieve their financial position, lost last year on account of the fall in the wool and meat markets.

Last year New Zealand exported a consderable quantity of butter and cheese, and in spite of thi there was a considerable shortage in England, in fact, for a long time, it may b said, the country was more or less butterless, as can be imagined, when the ration was at the rate of about one ounce per. head per week, during a certain period, but since then the position has improved The estimated pge-war consumption of butter in England was approximately 4 ounces weekly for each person, and the opinion is that it will be a long rime before supplies at that rate will again be forthcoming. The fact is, there is a world’s shortage of butter, and as far as the Mother Country is concerned this cannot be made up until some of the other producing countries begin to export. One of the principal reasons for the shortage is on account of the cessation of export from Siberia, the actual position there is not known to many of us in New Zealand. There is also a shortage in supplies from Denmark, Holland, and France.

The position then is that England will have to obtain supplies from somewhere, and now is an opportune time for New Zealand to realise the true position, and be in readiness to face the increasing demand, and further increase her fame among the butter-producing countries of the world.

In the past New Zealand’s chief products were wool and frozen meat, but the future of these products is doubtful, in veiw of the great competition with the Argentine in meat and Australia in wool The wool and meat producers are realising this position, judging by the number of holdings that are being sub-divided into small dairy farms. Butter and cheese hitherto have only held third and fourth places as far as the exports of this country arc concerned, but the indications now are that butter and cheese will hold pride of place in the very near future, and will thus bear out Mr W. F. Massey’s contention, when he spoke at the Imperial Conference, that New Zealand would be the dairy farm of England. As for the maintenance of the oversea demand, the prospects are good, but it is questionable if we can look for higher prices, although they should not fall ,to any marked extent, except, perhaps, during the English summer, when the Home and Irish butter will be on the market. Of course these calculations may be upset through industrial troubles. As far as New Zealand is concerned there is an amount of labour offering for dairy farms. INCREASED LOCAL OUTPUT. THE TUAKAU FACTORY. One day last week a ‘‘Times” reporter, in conversation with Mr A. H. Roberts, manager of the Tuikau Butter Factory, was informed that it was expected that the factor* 7 w'ould turn out at least 1200 tons of butter this season. The output year was 1045 tons. Be attributes the anticipated increase to the fact that there is a large increase ;n the number of suppliers and the quantity of cream this year as compared with, last season. Quite a number of farmers who hitherto were in the grazing and sheep farming occupations, had decided to go in for the cows, as they considered the latter the better payable proposition. In his own district he gave instances of this.

Mr Roberts invited the reporter to have a look over the busy institution, which invitation was accepted. The pressman could not help adnuring the beautiful surroundings. Several little plots near the main entrance to the factory are down in lawn grass, and flowers planted round about, while on the north-eastern side of the factory flows a beautiful' dear

stream, -while willows, with their gyeen leaves add to the beauty. The factory is situated a few chains from the Tuakau railway station, and therefore the cost of carting produce to and from the factory is small. The interior of the building is spic and span in every resepct, while the sanitary arrangements are satisfactory.

The factory is equipped! with an up-to-date plant, and at present 20 men are busily engaged, while in the flush of the season 25 hands are necessary to cope with the work. These men are under Mr L. Morris, a very capable foreman. THE ENGINE-ROOM. The engine-room is in charge of Mr A. Morrow, who has been in the company’s employ for the last 11 years, and his lot is no easy one. In the engine-room there is X 95 horse power and one 75 h.p. suction gas engine, one Stern refrigerator, with a capacity of 7 tons, also a refrigerator with a capacity of 3 tons. The water for the butter is supplied by an air compressor, which draws water from c-ver 300 feet from the bowels of the earth. Three water pumps, drawing waiter from the creek, for washing up purposes and condenser. Power is generated by a 75 h.p. suction gas producer, wdiile a 33 h.p. boiler is used for making steam. Mr J. Thomas assists Mr Morrow is? his work. BUTTER ROOM. The large butter room is a very busy place, in charge of Mr F. McGee, the butter-maker. The plant herein comprises one Silkerborg churn, with a capacity of 30cwt. at each churning, 2 Topliss churns, each wnth a capacity of 15cw't., one Cherry ..turn, w ith a capacity of 18cwt; 7 cream vats, with a capacity of 5600 gallons. A considerable amount of pounding is done for the purpose of supplying the Auckland market, and this is done per medium of an air-driven pounding machine. PASTEUEHSiNG ROORB. The pasteurising room is in the capable hands of Mr H. Bush, who has been with the company for 9 years. He has under his charge two large pasteurisers, two coolers, arid tw T o A. and T. Burt’s direct expansion coolers, w'hich have recently been installed. RECEIVING STAGE. Mr L. Morris has charge of this department, and with his assistants daily handles cream equivalent to 250 boxes of butter. TESTING ROOM. Mr R. Durfant, who controls the testing department, does a considerable amount of herd testing for suppliers. He handles 650 cream samples three times a month. TRANSPORT. Two waggons, w'hich are used for carting cream and other produce to and from the factory, are in charge of Mr J. Irving. This department handles the butter for transit to the Auckland Freezing Works. Cream is delivered via boat, train and carts from all parts of the district, as far south as Ohinew'ai. The company recently erected a box-room, which hold's between 10,000 and 12,000 boxes.

Altogether the factory despatches 1000 boxes of butter per week, and in the flush of the season, it is expected', between 1600 and 1800.

In the event of a coal strike the operations at the factory could be carried on some time. The factory is well equipped for power by a huge stock of coal.

in conversation with the manager, he mentioned that the grading of the butter at the freezing works compared more than favourably with other seasons. P.UKEKOHE FACTORY. We understand that the output at the Pukekohe Butter Factory snows a decided increase as compared with last season.