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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 16 December 1880, Page 2

We can scarcely take up an exchange that does not contain some reference to the export of butter to Great Britain from the Colonies. Dairymen have been induced to turn their attention to the Home markets as an outlet, for this item of polonial produce by the circumstance that the local demand is meagre compared with the amount turned out of their dairies. The butter industry has increased in an infinitely larger ratio than our population, and the dairyman not only has to suffer the present low, and prospective lower, prices,- bnt he must either stifle a growing industry, and be content to limit his market to the Colony, or proceed systematically to increase his output, and export his overplus to the O'd Country. In several agricultural centres throughout tfjis Colony and Australia, dairymen haveresolved uponadoptingtlie last-mentioned course. For instance, a Mr. Hamilton, of Flint's Bush, Invercargill, has made arrangements to do so, and there are authoritative rumors that co-operative companies are in course of fprniation in the Waimate and Oamaru districts to promote the same object, As is the case in kindred matters, however, the Australians are ahead of us in the matter of the export of butter. We read that the Protos lately left Melbourne for London with a consignment of 150 tons of butter, as well as fresh meat. So far as the butter is concerned this shipment is merely an experiment. But, if the article is of good quality, there need be no apprehensions of failure, According to our Australian files, the wholesale prices of fresh butter in the several large centres of that continent range from 6d to lOd, rates which have become pretty well stereotyped in this Colony, whilst in great Britain Is Cd can be realised for sound salted parcels. With these facts before them., it is not surprising that colonists have resolved upon making an attempt to compete with oilier countries in supplying the Iloine markets with this produel. There is a lucrativs trade offering, and if they do not now take advantage of this fact the opportunity may be lost. Itwould be as foolish for farmers to content themselves with the limited demand and prices of local markets in regard to their butter, nr, it vould be to do the same in regard to their grain. If a farmer were told that he should not grow more wheat or oats than he could dispose of in the Colony for local consumption, he would regard such advice as the emanation of a disordered brain. Such a curtailment of his operations would mean the disuetude of the bulk of his land. The time [ has fully arrived when he will view the exportation of butter in the same light. We have shown that the farmer of New Zealand is invited by circumstances to enter the arena with the world as a competitor in an ultimate market with this product. But he must not start before he is ready, and he must start well. The differences between the prices of good and bad butter involve handsome profits or ruinous losses. Good butter is a marketable commodity, and finds its way on to the tallies of the wealthy ; but bad butter is almost valueless, and, although it might meet with sale for consumption by thp Jess wealthy classes, the price it would realise would register a loss to the producer. It will be necessary, in order to ensure the success of the butter-exporting project, for producers to co-operate. No one, two, or even three individnals could profitably cany it out. Exportation in this, as in other things, must be dope pn a large scale, if producers are to realise the fullest advan : tages. This is one necessary provision. Another is that the article must be good. Thero must be no setting of the milk in sheds with stored root crops, or, worse, in bedrooms. One contribution of butter from milk so treated would vitiate a whole consignment. There should b.e a perfect understanding amqngst cq-opef.-atprs tl;at the system that is to be adopted by each of them, from the feeding of the cows to turning out the butter, must be characterised by scrupulous care and cleanliness in every department. The observance of such safeguards would render preparation for export simple, the quality good for a maximum period, and the proceeds satisfactory.