The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, JUNE 10th, 1924. THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 June 1924, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, JUNE 10th, 1924. THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

ITgcheh hitherto not made public wore given by Mr J. \V. Smith. Government Dairy Instructor, in the course of a lecture to dairy factory diroc-

tors at Blenheim regarding the opotsitiohs Ilf the dairy fn rm instructors dining the dairy season just closed. In the 1920-21 season ilieie were twentyseven whole-time iu-iimtors in the Dominion, and they made 22.<218 actual inspect ions of dairy farm premises. They found in a total ol 18.111 milkmo sheds inspected that oOlitt could be | 11-sell as good. 9111 could be classed as lair .while 21111 were bad. In these sheds there were 7919 milking machines 1128 of which were noted as good. 291il only fair, ami 1 119 bad. In i.omo respects the dairying in the South Island was far behind the North Island was a view expressed by Mr Smith who quoted some very illuminating statistics showing the growth ol herd testing under the supervision of the Government. and also pointed to the preponderance of herd testing in the North Island over the South, lie said the number of cows under the Association tesl in New Zealand in 1909-10 was 811, l.v 1919-20 it had increased to £21.111. and in 1922-21 it was 81.821. The lllimhei of cows lllldei the tesl in the South Island. lio.vcver. was only 2111 or 0.78 per cent ol the total. I lie number of nif> in tin- South Island was 217.112. and the total lot New Zealand «:s 1.117. P00. It cost

tile dairy laimei on an average say. 8d to produce a |ouml of biitteifat. said Mi Smith. It lie Wits receiving say Is ter Ih. I rum the butter factory, his prolit was Id. If the farmer. through ( atelc-Niiess, hick of knowledge, or apathy, sent in a lower grade cream to the factory, and was satisfied t;i take a Jd less for it., he was losing an eighth of his profit, nndjt was taking him eight veins to make what he should make in seven years. But tho thing went further still, for it was possible to so lower the stnudnid of first grade butter than it, ton, would hiing .Jd less than the me cage, so that with Jd deduction fav Se. ond grade ereuiu, and Lhe pi le.sk tor low first grade buttor. the t iliij was a penny out of a I refit of Id. and it required I'mlr years to make wlmt should lie made in three. ‘lt is a fact.” Mr Smith added, “that there are factories which are taking til less for their low first grade product. It is also true that there are factories getting a Id above the average for choice quality." The lecturer left il to his hearers to decide which was the better proposition in the long run to carry on in the rut or bustle themselves to make a real endeavour

to secure an all-round improvement ii the eienm or milk supply and the hut

ter produced