The Dairy Factory.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 224, 19 August 1884, Page 2

The Dairy Factory.

Of late we have had reports of frequent meetings of the Manawatu Buttei, Cheese, and Bacon Factory Company, the directorate of which have been most energetic m their endeavours to push forward the project. Our readers will probably desire to know what progress is being made. From a visit paid yesterday, we note that the building is m»a for-;: ward state, and by this day month it is expected that the factory will be m full swing. It is situated, as mostof our readers are aware, at the junction of the "Wellington railway, the ground occupying 15 acres of freehold, there being also 3$ acres leasehold, and the house and ten acres on. which, Uig, manager at present resides^ which* U on an adjoining section. The.build? ing is constructed of the bestf"^ materials, totara throughout,'and all under an iron roof. The floors varo all of concrete, and all carefully graded so as to give a fall for flush; ing, lor which water-channels have been provided. The ventilation of the various chambers and also the cellar has been carefully arranged, and the result should bo most satis- ■*! factory. Pipesfrom the cellar connect with, the engine-room, so that any close air may be withdrawn l,y\ the effect of the heated atmosphere. Damp has proved a little troublesome m the cellar, but it is hoped that now it has been overcome. None of the >•■•->. machinery is yet m place, so that there is a great deal to achieve during the interval between now and the opening of the factory. The engineroom walls will be lined with asbestos i felt, to prevent the radiation of the heat. Outside is a raised platform, having a trap-door m the floor. Under this the carts are driven, and the milk cans pulled up, the contents weighed, sampled, and tested, and ■■: then emptied into a large vat, from which it descends into the separators. . The manager did not happen to be Dresent at the time of our visit, so that we could not glean much information of a practical kind as to details of the working. The machinery; is all to be fitted up by Mr Murray, of the Wanganui Foundry, m whose hands also has been placed the order for the steam-engine. Nothing has been done without consult- :' ing the manager, m whose judgment the directors seem to place implicit conGdence, as he is a careful, experienced, practical man. The Danish cooler is now being put together, a peculiarity m which m 'that water is always flowing through between the double walls thus maintaining a low temperature. The table for the manipulation of the butter is m position, being of very solid construction, as indeed every part of the building and plant seems* .to be. The most scrupulous attention to. cleanliness has to be observed m all depart- J ments, m order go achieve successful * :- results, and a plentiful supply of hot . and cold water is necessary m consequence. A fifty foot pipe has been driven, from which a splendid. supply 7 of good water can be depended upon. This will be pumped into two elevated tanks at the rear, which will always be kept full, and from which a spleu-. did supply for flushing purposes will bo obtainable. A patent steam .hose will also be fixed to the boiler, which ' : can be used all over the building, giving additional facilities for cleansing. The plan of the factory is just half the ground floor of the 400^cow - factories, plans of which are issued by the Government, and it is intended, if present anticipations are realized, to increase the building to the full size eventually. The cost of the factory, not counting the engine or machinery, hasjbeen about £400. We might point out to the defaulting shareholders bow unjust it is to delay payment of their overdue calls, as they thus only embarass the directors who really have quite as much on their shoulderx as they care to undertake. The directors have given much ' time to their unrem unerated duties, and then- lalxjurs promise to be pro--, ductive of great benefit to the whole district. It is satisfactory"" to learn that all their undertakings have been characterized by the utmost .unanimity, every proposal first receiving careful individual attention, and finally obtaining the sanction of all \ the directors before being carried into effect. If ever a number of persons v have laboured zealously m the public interest, that body has been the directors of the Manawatu Butter, Cheese, and Bacon Factory Company, and m Mr A. J. Clarke, they have a most painstaking and efficient secretary, : who does not spare himself m his labours m the interests of the Company. Mr Clarke is not one of those : who believe m the perfunctory discharge of duty, but he brings to bear a most conscientious and enthusiastic zeal that is all the more pleasing and commendable because ifc is comparatively rarely to be met f with m persons occupying similar- - positions. On the whole, the prospects of the undertaking are most encouraging, though the career of the company till the present time has not-,-: been free from difficulties which have had to be encountered and overcome. It is believed that the milk that will ' . be sold at a cheap rate will be superior m quality to much of that now retailed as new milk. That the quality of the butter will be excellent, none can doubt, and some of our local dairies will have to look to their laurels if they wish to find any sale for their products. We shall be both surprised and disappointed if the new factory is not the fore-runner of half- ./ a-dozen others m different parts of the district, all contributing their full quota to the resources and pros- , perity of the colony. "When the factory is m full operation we shall dfr . . vote another chapter to the modu*, . operandi pursued m its management. . „ It is an undertaking of which we have great hopes both m the immediate future, and, as time goes on, and a .. ., larger [area of (land is denuded . of forest and laid down m .pasture; Daiiy factories should, and someday must, be one ot thejprominent industries of New Zealand.