Mr Sawers at Cheltenham

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 130, 22 April 1893, Page 2

Mr Sawers at Cheltenham

Last evening a meeting of those interested was held in the Cheltenham school-house for the purpose of hearing an addrees by Mr Sawers, the Government dairy expert and lecturer, on the advantages of co-operation in dairying. The attendance was very large, farmers from all parts of the district being present. On the motion of Mr Mitchell, Mr Mills was voted to the chair. The chairman, in a few words, introduced — Mr Sawers, who stated that he had been invited by the Provisional Directors of the-'"'Cheltßn^m'''"D'aif^-13Sn5pffiy* to lecture in this district, which he was very pleased to do. Dairying wag a : subject of great interest, at the present time, all over the colony, and the best means for working fSctdne'B^was- a l»ein^^ißiH«SWl everywhere. The lecturer Was very sorry more ladies were not present, as he thought if they., would, p£?s ove jM ne dairies to men more factories 'woula&oon be established. In . the factory.system the advantages are greater, on account of the better plant being employed, together with skilled labour gaining uniformity. He placed exclusive reliance on the fac-tory-system, and asked : What wouldjra» come of the frozen-meat trade if every farmer froze his .own sheep and sent w to the Home market ? Concentrated 'effort was the keynote of success. He would not enter into the discussion whether fac-tory-butter was the best. Foreign buyers always prefer the factory product, »|tnd give a higher price for it. . He then read a communication trom the Agent-Genejr.al,, showing that butter arrived in England' in better condition now than ..formerly, and also found a more ready; niarket there. The future development rested with the people themselves, and he thought it a mistake *o mix butter, as this was sure to deteriorate it. , Some of the factory-butter from New Zealand ws]b very satisfactory, the uniformity ,' colour* and texture being good, bnt private individuals could not turn out' the quality; Denmark, Canada, the United States : of America, and Australia had already worked up a large export- trade in .butter and cheese. It was a feet that England imported 42 per cent, of her consumption of cheese, and 2 per cent, of her butter' from Canada. Two and a half time? more butter than cheese was consumed in England. The reputation: of Canadian butter was very low, it being mostly made* by the farmers ; but now they were utilising the factories for both butter and cheese, and were successful with" waiter butter last year. In Denmark there are close on 4,000 co-operative factoriesrand there was a tendency in the same direction in Canada. The speaker then.s tated that at a large factory in Taranaki, owned by the National Bank, the. return per cow was j£l2 7s 2d for milk taken/to the factory, and the .butter was sown lOJd. At Cardiff last year;' which 1 Witt the first season, a return of kl 2s 6dper cow was received for seven months*- and these were not the best cows procurable. At the Wyndbam factory toe highest yield was £9 15s, and.the lowest £7 odd per cow. The capabilities of this district could not be surpassed by any other place in the colony, and he thought from ten to fifteen cows could' be. kept diT-dabn farm, and still keep .the same ; QHnu ber of sheep. With reference jo some of the : butter sent : from ; the Wwt coast to Wellington last summer he arid it was a disgrace to the' colon yl r He) had examined a number of boxes ready for shipping which were simple putnd-an} the seller had the audacity trask 9d-j>er lb for it. Taking Victorian buttor^oa the whole it was better than the New Zealand article. He congratulated I CHb* provisional directors for their efforts and thought they deserved the thanks of .the shareholders. It was only a few years since dairying took root in New and the growth had been marvellous, the exports showing a substantial increase each year. There had been twenty-si^ factories started in the colony thw year and it was likely as many more would be started next. It seemed that it waaj* matter of establishing factories or gotur out of the trade altogether. The great aim now was to cheapen labor and increase production. . Second to fruit the dairy industry could not be' bettered and he thought there was very little risk in this district of carrying it out successfully. In conclusion Mr Sawers invited questions. -'. ; In reply to Mr Banks. Mr Sawers said Australian butter was not ahead of the New Zealand , factory article, but the Government there had fostered the industry, providing cool storage free of charge, carrying on the railways at low rates, etc., in fact the Government there looks after it altogether. In reply to Mr Retemeyer, Mr Sawers said he did not think it true > that New Zealand butter was re-branded in Melbourne so as to receive the bonus offered by the Victorian Government, at all even^r not to any great extent, especially as me returns were carefully examined. - > In reply to other questions, Mr Sawers said the Government should provide better facilities for carrying butter on the rail* ways, and in his report he would draw the Minister's attention to this. The advantages of cooperation against private individuals was that the latter had to pay the same price for the milk as the former and the producer got most out of it by co-operating, the profits being divided. If private individuals paid the same as co-operative factories there was " nothing; in it. " Producers would be paid pro rata on the weight of the milk. Shipping ar« rangernents were bad at present, more so in the North than in the South Island, but . there was no reason why a trade, should not be opened up with 1 'the Cape land India. There had been no glut in the cheese market, returns showing that this product brought up to 54s and 58s per cwt, and it would be, payable at 46s and 48s. If the Victorian bonus was taken off, New Zealand could undersell them in Melbourne even with protection. A factory was not complete > till n) had machinery for making both batter aud cheese, but he would not advise ereoting buildings for the latter at present. If they could guarantee the quality and packing the company could get KM now for next year's supply. He considered the Jersey was undoubtedly the best all. round cow for the dairy, but a systematic cross between the shorthorn and Ayrshire, would be sufficient for general purposes. Holstein cows give a larger quantity but the milk is .very poor. The butter fat was just as indispensable for cheese as for butter. Distance would make no dif. ference in carrying cream as proper cars would be used, and milk could be kept over night without injury by. using a cheap aerator which would cost .about four or six shillings ; a Laurence [cooler would certainly be best, but the cost would be about £8. ; . > ; ; . Mr Mills invited tboee who had. not taken shares in the Company iff do so. Mr Buchanan proposed a vote of thanks; to Mr Sawers, who. stated he was willing to do what he could to assist the Company* A vote of thanks tq the chairman closed the meeting. ; . >. '.'..,?.'. Messrs Dixon and Matheeon. were pres. ent and after the meeting closed stated they were working up a company, called the Farmer's Provincial Association, to start dairying under what is known* as " Darling's system," and invited anyone who are willing: to assist, them.