COOL STORAGE OF DAIRY PRODUCE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 295, 24 July 1917, Page 1

COOL STORAGE OF DAIRY PRODUCE.

Important Recommendations. The Board of Agriculture held several lengthy meetings last week, at which matters of considerable interest to the farming community were dealt with. There was a large attendance of members of the board, only one member being absent through duties connected with the sitting of a Military Service Appeal Board. COOL STORAGE FOR DAIRY PRODUCE. The board held a lengthy consultation in regard to the provision of cool storage for dairy produce and in conjunction with Mr Cuddie, Director of the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture, went most exhaustively into the question of the cool storage for butter and cheese at the various gazetted grading-stores in the Dominion, and the possibility of extending some of these places to provide accommodation for larger quantities of dairy produce should there be a further diminution of our shipping facilities. The board also discussed the question with Dr. Eeakes, Director of the Live Stock Division of the Department of Agriculture, in relation to the storage of frozen meat, and the immediate and future prospects for shipping. As a result of the board's deliberation of these matters, it was decided to convey to the Minister of Agriculture their recommendations in the matter, which are as follow, and to request that they receive the Government's earnest and immediate attention, as the subject was one of extreme urgency : That the Government should, if possible, try to secure for the carriage of butter, say, about 6 per cent of the shipping space available ; and also to consider the practicability of adopting some method of assisting some of the smaller dairy-farmers should they need financial help in the event of their being unable to ship their butter. The opinion was also expressed that it is imperative that additional freezing stores be built as soon as possiblo in view of the probable shortage of ships and that the Government should subsidise the building of these stores, if necessaiv, after consulting with the freezing companies and obtaining from them their views as to the most suitable locality and the best method of financing the proposals ; also that a portion of such extra storage should be made available for the storage of dairy pi od uce. With regard to the cheese question, the board pointed out that the New Z aland Government is in honour bound to see that all cheese is properly stored at a low temperature, both for the sake of the British Government and for the reputation of Now Zealand cheese, and in support of this submitted the following facts: 1. The outlook for shipping is absolutely uncertain. 2. Without cool storage cheese will not keep. 3. Coo! storage for cheese can be erected at a cost amounting to, approximately, o per cent of the value of the product, and the storage fees paid by the Imperial Government would recoup a large proportion of the cost. 4. After the war this storage will probably be required in the ordinary course of trade, but even if not required for storage or for some other purpose - and of no value afterwards, which is highly improbable-the expenditure would only mean an insurance policy of about 5 per cent on the year's output of cheese ; 5 In oider to expedite the dispatch of vessels so as to make the greatest possible use of them, a large central store in Wellington is urgently required. The board therefore strongly recommend that storage accommodation should be provided, which, with the storage now available, would amount to a total of 000,000 crates, and that the Wellington Harbour Board having offered to commence the erection of a building for 00,000 crates, .in condition that the Government subsidiso the expenditure by £3250, tnis offer should bo promptly accepted, so that storage may be available for the incoming season commencing in September. This matter the board regard as one of extreme urgency.