CHEESE-MAKING BY CONTRACT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8352, 12 February 1913, Page 2

CHEESE-MAKING BY CONTRACT

A FLOURISHING FACTORY. Travellers to tho Forty-Mile Bush are struck with the flourishing appearance of tho various small settlements throughout that district (says a writer in tho “Age”). The farms are all small in area —from 50 acres to 300 acres—and all are reclaimed bush lands. Co-operativo dairying is tho secret of their success, there being very little sheep farming. Round about Eketahuna are several cheese factories, and the largest is at Nircaha. This factory was established in November, 1904, and opened with 1100 gallons for tho first day’s supply of milk, and tho supply has gone on increasing in volume ever since, and on December 17th, 1913, It reached its maximum of 4235 gallons, and last year they turned out 309 tons of first grade cheese. Tho factory has hover known what it is to have its cheeso branded second-grade. The making of the cheese is let by contract, Mr H. Adamson, who has a Dominion reputation as an expert cheese maker, being the contractor, which position ho has held for tho past live years. The directors and suppliers aro well satisfied with this arrangement, as it relieves them of all trouble and responsibility in supplying labour and carting out their produce from railway to shipping port, which is no slight thing, where tho backhlocks are taken into consideration. Last year tho Nireaha factory paid their suppliers Is 3|d per pound for butter-fat, besides paying 0 per cent, on the paid-up capital, which is practically all held by suppliers. Only one other factory paid out more, and that just a fraction of a penny. This should satisfy suppliers that in letting the manufacture of the cheese by contract they aro on the right lilies. There are about eighty suppliers to the factory, a IT within a radius of four miles. Improvements am!

creased supply demanded them, the latest being a new cbeeso packingroom, with concrete floor, 30ft by 33ft, and a timber storage room, 00ft by lift. About 300 cases of cheeso fortnightly are now being sent away, the cheese being half white and half coloured. Last season the average juice ivealisod on the Home market tor Nireaha cheese was 71s 10d„ per owt. This year tho London sales opened at 60s Gd per cwt, but an advance is looked for. Tho manager employs seven assistants, and they are provided with cottages on the company’s proconvenient to their work. Nirealia is only one of a number of cooperative cheeso factories in the FortyMilo Bush.