DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1925, Page 4

DAIRY INDUSTRY.

impulsions; of al'S'ihauax EX PENT. A FCK I.AND, August Hi. Golden opinions ol Now Zealand, as a dairying country have already been formed by Air P. J. Carroll, Commonwealth Supervisor ol Dairy Exports, although so far he has only seen parts of Taranaki. Air Carroll arrived in Auckland this morning to watch the interests of Australian competitors in Use world butter championship, which is to he decided in the comine week. There are about a score of entries from tin' Commonwealth, New .South AVales, Victoria, Tasmania, and Queensland, borne; represented. Air Carroll is seizing the opportunity to see as much as possible of Dominion dairying. “We do not consider ourselves as competitors with New Zealand in the export markets,” he said. ‘•Australian dairymen are most sympathetic with their brother producers in New Zealand, and they are great admirers of the manner in which the Dominion has rapidly developed the industry In its present considerable status. At our dairy conferences in Australia. New Zealand methods are held up as ail example to emulate." Discussing Australian production for export, Air Carroll said there was no reason to anticipate any great expansion of exports in the immediate future, so much, in the Commonwealth depended upon the seasons. The last one had lveen excellent. There was a prolific growth of pastures in all the Stales, and the result wn- the export of Co..Tib tons of butter. 0100 tons of choose, and large quantities of casein, and condensed and dried milk. Production was 100 per cent higher than in the previous season, while for the previous export record, ."0,000 tons of butter, they had to go hack to the 1021-22 season. The great influence of the rainfall on dairy production thu« became evident. “Of course, we do have drought' in Australia.'’ remarked Air Carroll. "They are railed dry spells.” Australia was not a cheese manufacturing country, being little more than self-supporting in that respect. The small export trade was not conducive to raising the quality, and until more cheese came into the grading stores the Government could not hope to exercise much influence toward better

tilings. The prospects of the Australian production increasing were dependent on two factors: the opening el larg- suitable areas in Queensland, and the development of irrigation from the Murray River waters. There were lart'O le v rainfall areas in the Murray i’nsin, not suitable for irrigation, hut good for wheat-growing. Waier was being taken p> them, in races. A tear's simply was conserved in a farm to take for domestic and slock purposes. This rid these areas of the draught menace in its most acute font and also followed the keeping of a few cows for pin-money, until the when crop canto in. Stub production was small individually, but considerable in the aggregate. The irrigation area proper also meant an increased <ln ire production in the initial stages of their development. Later they would be devoted to the dried ami citrus fruit industry, hut orchards took time to mature. and meanwhile the settlers made a living by dairying. The fact that last season Australian butter had more nearly approached New Zealand pros on the London market was referred to hv Mr Carroll He considered that appreciation wn due to the adoption of a single brand, the Kangaroo, for all butter grading 92 point- and over. Any butter under that standard forfeited the right t - Australia’s hallmark. In this way the Kangaroo had come to lie a guarantee c-f quality, ami the British consume! knew he could get what he paid for. The result was a stimulated demand ami higher prices. Quality ami composition were two great consideration'in Australian dairying. There had been, and still were, difficulties in maintaining the standard in so large ;- country. Divided control as between the Commonwealth am! Stales was one; hut that had been largely ovenome by closer co-operation between the Commonwealth Dairy Council and the various State Boards. They had st:il h contend \iilt the home separator, hut better t;’c ! 'niqtie in factories and an improved cream collection were niiuimisiu ; t rouble. Moreover, there was lei-i-lati n compelling tie far'.orio:to grade i ream and to pay according to ;1 1 e quality. this cMiinnnie motive was found mo.- 1 stimulating in improving the condition in which tie raw material was delivered at the factory. Any legislation affecting the industry was submitted first to tlm Dairy Council anil hoards liebire being enacted, am! mistakes were thus avoided. Speaking of markets, Mr Carroll said Fat, a nr. ft frmi Lnnclnn, Australia was building up a large export with Eastern countries, especially in tinned butter and dried and condensed milk. In java. Australian controlled 95 per lent of the whole butter trade, hut it had no-grip on the cheese market. In fact, mi one was catering for it, and there lay New Zealand’s opportunity. Chedar cheese was most popular, hut it was left to Holland to supply. There was a big opening. Even far-away Canada had set'll it. ami was attempting io meet the demand with craft cheeses. “I have hoi'll through Taranaki,” said Mr Carroll, and his voice at once took on a tinge of enthusiasm. ‘‘To -ay 1 was surprised is putting it niild!v. I was overwhelmed. It was the rpialitv ol the land that got, me, the in'll I ness of the farms and Ihe volume of proiltK I ion. Taranaki reminded me very much of the district where 1 was horn. If I woke there, I would think 1 was hack on the hanks of Tower Hill, Wm-terii Virloria, the cabbage garden of the State. There were Iho same l>ox thorn hedges, the same volcanic soil and the same I rottblesotne gorse and blackberry. Notwithstanding the heavy rainfall, there was little water lying about, nor were the pastures ol that green that denotes the coldness of a swamp. It is evident that the soil is very porous. I am convinced that if Taranaki is a fair sample, there is a wonderful future before New Zealand as a dairying country. As far as you have already gone, you have potentialities to go much further. You are developing on sound lines, and there seems nothing for years io come that will put a period to your progress.”