THE Kawhia Settler FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1906, OUR DAIRYING PROSPECTS.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 246, 9 February 1906, Page 2

THE Kawhia Settler FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1906, OUR DAIRYING PROSPECTS.

It is now probable that the settlers in this district will awaken to the fact that the time has arrived when a true start to make their produce a marketable commodity must be made. Mr F. A. Pearson has been asked to convene a meeting for the purpose of discussing this matter. In many parts of New Zealand much energy has been dcsplayed in the inauguration of butter factories, and the bulk of these have had a phenomenal success, hut in a few cases failure—or to put it mure correctly, temporary failure—has ensued. What has been the cause of the failure interests us more than what has led to success, tor if the risk of failure can be avoided success must follow. In our minds we have one or two butter factories which have struggled along for several years, always hopiug for the turn which leads to fortune, but till one or two of the promoters were nearly ruined that time did not arrive, the reason in almost every instance being the failure of those guaranteeing milk to fulfil their promises and also the relative expense of working to the small supply of milk sent in for manufacture. To run a gutter factory means an initial expense of hundreds of pounds, which necessarily involVH burrowing arid the payment of j io orcat. When the number of cows I (or perhaps it would bo better to say ) tbe number of gallons of milk sup- I plied) falls below a certain average I tbe expenditure becomes greater than i tbe ii.u >me. This must necessarily j a-iso from the ’ promoters being of a to i sanguine di -position, and in con-j s queuce not allowing a sufficient mwgta. Thorn are cows aul c >ws. | and wh<n .'tier/ ay “ we guarantee ; 50 or 100 cow " it is only right that I a Clear understanding should boar- '

tivad at that every individutl cow is worthy of tbe name of “dairy cow.” Again, tbe condition of the milk at tbe tune of delivery jg an important item., but one of tbe chief factors towards success is the good and economical working of the concern. The fact re mains, however, that even for a start a sufficient supply of milk mast be forthcoming to meet all tbo working xpunses and allow the tanner at least «H good a return us he can make without the factory. There is another way of dealing with the quo ti .a and that is by the establishment of creameries. We have till now said nothing of the chief factor of the success of all butter fat production by factory methods, viz , good roads, without which perfect success is not attainable. This part of tbe business must be loft to the local body and the consciences of the settler. • With tbe last named in this case we are afraid consciences mean pockets. It is better t • pay £lO per year in rates (6d a day) than lose a shilliug a day in extra cost of goods, loss of milk, etc., in transit, but it is difficult to make far iners see that at first. We are, however, fortunate iu having a road that does not require metalling—the harbour. The scheme to be laid before the meeting convened for Saturday, the 17th inst., of a system of creameries with a central factory at deep water will, we feel sure, appeal to those having the dairying industry st heart. A creamery can be erected at a cost of from £2OO to £250, probably the eighth part of the cost of a butter factory, and still it can handle as much milk as is likely to be produced iu any district round the harbour, and if these are erected at suitable places the cream could be picked up by launch i and conveyed to the main factory, the i expenses being thus minimised and ' success assured. The introduction of .* this grand industry into a district al | most invariably forms the nucleus of ’ other businesses, which tend to the en - richment of the settler, and if too much is not expected at first, and the’ settlers will carefully go into this matter in a friendly and unselfish spirit, and throw that energy into it that such an undertaking warrants, we feel absolutely sure that a great reaction for good will take place, and that in spite of all the drawbacks we have to suffer in the shape ot looked up lands, bad joads, and some stupid laws, our splendid climate, excellent soil, and the sterling quality of our settlers, wilt place the Kawhia district in the front rank.