KING COUNTRY DAIRYING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 470, 1 June 1912, Page 3

KING COUNTRY DAIRYING.

THE YEAR'S WORKING

PROSPECTS FOR NEXT SEASON

Dairying has practically ceased in the district for the season and settlers in the various King Country centres are making preparations for the ensuing season. Despite the serious handicap of bad roads and comparatively sparse settlement the industry has made wonderful progress druing the past three years, and bids fair during the coming season to reach a degree of importance in the district which the most ardent dairying enthusiast would not have claimed for it a year or two ago. With close settlement existing only here and there throughout a vast space of country it is difficult to realise that the industry is being successfully carried on and that supplies to the factories are being increased annually to a surprising extent. The fact that home separation has come into common use is, of course, responsible for the exceptional increase in the face of what would be insurmountable difficulties under the old methods. Bad roads and bush tracks over which vehicular traffic is impossible are great drawbacks to the industry, but the carriage of home separated cream by pack horse is the method which baa been forced upon settlers. It is no uncommon experience for settlers to have to pack their cream for distances of 15 or 20 miles, and the fact that cream has only to be supplied about three times a week,as against a daily supply in the case of milk, renders the packing a somewhat less arduous experience tnan it appears at first sight. THE OHURA FACTORIES. The Ohura Co-operative Company which has its factory at Niho Niho has had an excellent season. Suppliers to the number of 41 contributed to the factory, showing an increase of ](J as compared with the previous season. The output of butter for the season was just under 47 tons as compared with 35?; ton 3 for the previous year. Payments to suppliers amounted to £3]33 ai against the previous year's £2350. The number of cows being milked for the factory is approximately 850, and this is sure to be considerably increased during the coming spring. The factory has a creamery established at Otangiwai, but it wa= not opened this season. In view of projected improvements to the road there is every reason to expect it will be operating next season, and suppliers will thus be saved a packhorse journey, which in certain instances extends to 20 miles.

The plant of the factory has been increased by the addition of a combined churn and butter worker, cream cooler, and other appliances, besides two waggons and horses at a total cost of £350. The factory is now capable of dealing with double the present supply and the outlook for the future is exceedingly bright. There is some talk of a factory being established at Mangaroa next season, but it is to be hoped action in this directoin will be delayed for a time in order to give the present factory every opportunity of getting on the best possible basis. The factory is co-opera-tive and suppliers get all the benefits, while it is possible for a factory which is handling its maximum to pay more to suppliers than if only half the quantity were being handled. MATIERE DAIRY FACTORY. Tnis factory, which at present is a proprietory concern, has just ceased operations for the season. Although the quantity of milk and cream handled did not quite reach expectations it showed an increase on the previous season. The quality of the butter turned out has given great satisfaction, and the manager, Mr E. Gilbert, has to be congratulate on the result. The proprietor of the factory, believing that next season will show and increased quantity, has already given a guarantee of a good price for butter fat for next season. The reason for giving this guarantee at such an early date is to allow of the settlers making arrangements for a further supply of cows should this be necessary. One of the crying needs of the Ohura Valley is a better class of milking cattle. This is a need which, of course, can only be met gradually, but it behoves every settler to do his utmost to improve his herd by systematic weighing of the milk and testing same. The suppliers to this factory are in a particularly good position. They have absolutely no responsibility, and have also a guarantee of the best price for butter fat in the valley. Further, they have a standing offer from the proprietor to sell them the factory whenever they are inclined to purchase, price to be decided by arbitration. There is probably not another factory in New Zealand whern the suppliers have an opportunity like this without carrying an atom of responsibility. Dairying is bound to increase in the Matiere district, just as elsewhere in New 7,elaana. To anyone who knows the state of the roads in this district, the wonder is that so much has already been done. MAROKOPA CO-OPERATIVE FACTORY. Probably no factory that has been established in the Dominion began operations in the face of such drawbacks as confronted the settlers of Marokopa, and it is specially gratifying to note the progress which has attended the efforts of the promoters during the past season. The output has totalled approximately 20 tons and this amount,less what was disposed of locally,was purchased by Messrs Bray Bros., of Wellington, the price paid being ll£d for first grade and lid for second grade. From a supplers roll of seven at the start the number increased to 26 at the height of the season. The price paid for butter fat was B£d for the season the amount distributed to suppliers per month being £l6B, free of deductions. The monthly supply of cream rose from 68101b, producing 22971b of butter fat, in

October, to 21,0361b of cream producing 79381b of butter Cat in January. The cost of transporting cream was slightly over Id per lb of butter fat. The number of cows milked was approximately 400, a Uirge proportion being heifers,so that next season's supply without the expected increase in numbers should be considerably greater. The outlook for the future is bright. Several new suppliers are already preparing to milk, and from the Kiritehere Valley it is anticipated the supply from 150 cows will come to hand. In order to provide an opportunity for settlers to secure milkers in spring negotiations are being conducted with the various auctioneering firms,with a view to holding a sale of dairy stock at Te Anga in time for intending suppliers to secure cows for the season. as the district progresses facilities of transit increase and during the coming season the output from the factory will probably be sent via Kawbia to Auckland. Last season the output had to be stored for three months, owing to the steamer being unable to make the port at Marokopa. The road to Kawhia is now formed throughout, and conditions arc thus greatly improved. A waggon and team can get through to Kawhia, and regular weekly steamers ply between Kawhia and Auckland. Everything which advances this district means increased trade, to Auckland and it is singular that Auckland business people do not advocate the cause of the country to a greater extent. A movement is being fostered by the Kinohcku shareholders to build a factory, and cold storage room at Kawhia harbour.This would practically give the company control over the south side of the harbour, where splendid deep water and other facilities necessary to the success of the scheme are to be formed. The idea is worthy of more than casual consideration even at present, but probably the majority of shareholders favour running along the present factory until it is on a somewhat firmer basis financially. The annual meeting takes place early in August, and at the election of directors the question of the harbour factory will be fully discussed. In any case it is merely a matter of a little time when both factory and freezing works will be estab« lished. With regard to the Waitunguru supplies the company la making arrangementsto take delivery of cream from a point at or near the Mangaohae in order to save suppliers from packing through the gorge. This will be an immense convenience as the suppliers in question are situated at distances up to seventeen miles from the factory. It is hoped something will be donn on the Gorge road next summer. No one but the pioneer dairyman realises the tremendous importance of proper roading to the settlers and to the Dominion at large. Imagine an industry penalised to the extent of 15 per cent, on the gross return by reason of bad roads. It is estimated that this extra percentage if utilised to pay interest and sinking fund on a roading loan would be sufficient to pave . the roads with asphalt. At present the money is being literally eunlc in the mud, and along with it are being buried the best years of many a heroic pioneer who has ventured into th« back country full of enthusiasm and hope.