Cheese and Butter Factories.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 140, 13 May 1884, Page 3

Cheese and Butter Factories.

• Last week a large number of gentlemen interested m the cheese ami butter industries were present at a' meeting held at the Auckland Chamber of Commei cc for the purpose of inspecting samples of cheese brought by Mr Bowrou, Inspector of Cheese from Te Awanmtu, Paterangi, Rukuhia, Pukekohe, Tauranga, and Bay of plenty. Mr J. C. Firth occupied the chair, and m a few iritroducfcoiy remarks referred to the importance of the cheese industry. There were, he said, 21 cheese factories m the colony, of which 16 were m the North and five m the South Island. Those preaent had tested samples of cheese from Waikato factories, and so far as he could learn •were Very well satisfied with the quality. The difficulty experienced by cheese companies was that they had not yei found the best means of disposing of their cheese, and on this point he invited Mr Bowron to speak. Mr Bowron said the cheese from Ashburton had sold m London at from 56s to 70s per cwt. Another 30 tons had been sent, and he ventured to gay it would not realise less than 745. Mr Bowron then went on to explain that m London large cheeses, about 801bs, would bring ilO a ton more than small cheeses. Next year 20 factories would be m operation here, and each would be able to manufacture 50 tons of cheese. If the product, 1000 tons, were sold m London say at 84s, they could see the amount of money it would bring to the colony. He was of opinion that there should be one factory for Cheddar and double Gloucester cheese, and all young persons engaged m the business should take certificates of competency there. He was also convinced butter factories would be a success m the colony. Mr [Firth said he would put it strongly before the directors of the New Zealand Shipping Company, and Shaw, Savill, and Co., whether it would not be a much better policy for them to announce at once that they were prepaied to take cheese m considerable quantities m cooling chambers at one half-penny per pound, for the present rate of freight was simply prohibitory. The cost of delivering cheese m London at present — viz., 2£d, was more than the industry .could stand.