NEW CHEESE FACTORY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5366, 19 December 1928, Page 2

NEW CHEESE FACTORY.

OPERATIONS AT WAITAKARURU. NOVEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. The N.Z. Co-operative Dairy Co.’s new cheese factory at Waitakaruru, which commenced operations on the 11th inst., is working smoothly, but the supply of milk .is not yqt up to its maximum, as some suppliers have not yet been able to change over frqm separating. Qn the first day two vats, were used and .19 cheeses wqre made, but now three vats are necessary for the 22,0001 b of milk received. Mr S. Dic,k, latq of the Matatoki factory, is. in charge, and he has a staff of three. The factory is practically completed, and the builders are working on zhe manager’s residence.

With the qxc,eption of the engine and boiler, which .were removed from Netherton, the plant is new and of the most up-to-date de/jgn. On, the receiving stage is a mechanical can washqr, an innovation for a cheese factory and a labour-saving device which has only been in use in buttei' factories for, a Yew seasons. The washing of cans at the factory is rendered necessary becausq an experiment is being tried with the delivery of whole milk by a contractor, in the same manner as cream is delivered to ©utter factories and milk tq dried milk factories. No other, cheese factory in the Dominion has this system. It appears to be working quite satisfac-. toiily and very economically. Most of the suppliers have laid! tramrails from their milking-sheds to the roadside, and the coritrac.tor picks up the night’s milk early in the morning and returns, latqr for the morning’s milk. Whey may be had from the factory, but up to. the presient no farmer has made arrangements to collect it and the tank is drained) into the canal at the most favourable state of the tide to ensure it passing out to sea.

When completed and cleaned up the factory will present an attraqtive appearance. Members of the staff have already commenced to beautify the surroundings by planting a flower garden.