Second Edition BUTTER v. CHEESE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 36, 11 February 1913, Page 6

Second Edition BUTTER v. CHEESE.

Striatfbf'd Cooperative Sharchclrfcrs Discuss Qutstidn. "This rfidfnirig the shareholders oi tlid Str’atfbrd Co-operative Dairy Cotapririy filled'tlie Borough Council Chambers and discussed the question! of whether cheese or butter should be mahrifactUred, Last year the attendance was not' nearly so large, but the question was more eagerly discussed since elieese was fetdhifag high'prices arid butter was at a cdiriparatively low figure. Blit for Id a lb on butter-fat, there appeared no real reason why Stratford should change, and tho matter was very briefly discussed, a motiong being carried unanimously that 1 tlie factory should remain as it was, and continue to make butter. Casein manufacture, of course, played an important part in the proceedings, and Mr Pederson’s address was eagerly listened to, and many questions asked.

The Chaiririari of Directors of the Company (Mr Richard Dingle), who' ‘ i pfeside‘dj said that, according to promise, the shareholders were now given an opportunity of discussing the butter v. casein question. He reminded those present that last year there had been a very considerable differi , i . J ■ erico between butter and cheese, but 'this year the difference w r as not nearly so considerable. As directors of the Company, it was their duty to place the question before the shareholders, and it was for the shareholders to decide that day one way or the other; to make up their minds what thby were going to do. One of the reasonfe for this, was that the requisites would have to be obtained either for butter or cheese, and, in these days of strikes it was as well to order requisites a long way ahead. THe Company did not wish to lie placed ill -the position of Mahgatbki arid Eltliam with regal’d to their buildihgs'; such a system was very costly. Getting down'.to business, Mr' Dingle said that from the actual sales it appeared that the’differeilce between cheese and butter 1 manufacturing was Id per lb. butter fat 1 , arid'' the prospects of butter were now a' little better than they were. He considered that at tHb present time Id a lb. butter fat difference was not sufficient to justify a 1 departure to cheese. The price of Calves had been very good this year; pigs were high. He knew one farmer who' reckoned lie could have made' £2 a cow on'his Calves. He might say that the northern factories were turning their attention to casein. arid wCregetting IJd per 11) on their butter fat, fen this product. This would have to ho'taken irito consideration, whether Stratford should go in idr caseiii. They had heard it said that after 1 taking out the casein, the whey had better feeding properties in it than had the skim milk. (Laughter.) Mr Mingle said he thought these people were trying to lead them astray, of elSe tliey did not know what they were falkirig about. They knew well that there was no comparison between skim milk arid whey for feediri’g 1 th'riir calves arid pigs. Their trorible had been in the past that they were giving their calves tdo much skim milk, and that was why the ariiinals got iridigbstion. He might say, in coriclusidil, that it would cost £12,000 to erect a cheese factory, and there were many creameries which could not he converted into cheese factories. Iri comparing the relative values of cheese arnTbuttef, Nga«re had been taken as an example of cheese prices and the respective prices per lb. butter fat for cheese and butter were 12|d and llfd.

Mb T. Webb moved that the factory continue to manufacture butter 'for the present season, the motion being duly seconded. In answer to a Question the chairman said that undoubtedly the directors were not prepared to undertake certain very necessary works until tins question butter versut cheese was decided.

Mr Webb, in reply, said the directors would be quite justified in installing electric power. The motion was then put to the meeting and carried, the chairman expressing the hope that if cheese went up in price next year and butter went down, t)ie directors would not he blamed. Casein. Mr Pederson, the Government expert, in the course of his address, said it was only within the past few years that casein had assumgd commercial importance. There was every reason to believe that very little casein would bo manufactured in Europe in the future, for skim milk was being used in the manufacture of food products, . for which there was no market in New Zealand. These food products were margarine, skim milk cheeses and so on. But the uses of casein were daily increasing. It was uried chiefly in the manufacture of paper and in paint manufacture. In regard to caseinwhey, there were conflicting opinions; but he noticed that the farmers always took it horrie, and presumably found sortie rise for it. Casein whey had certain albrimrin and sugar content, and, when pasteurised, was not likely to he a disseminator of disease, as in the 1 case of uripasteurised skim milk. The buildings nd plant necessary were inexpensive, and green casein would not require any additional steam power, the steam being needed early in the morning, when it was not otherwise required. Evert at the present low price, Mir Pederson said, casein would earn for the shareholders another IRI on their butter-fat.

Mr Dingl© said that he very much regetted that they had no definite information before them concerning the

actual food value of the casein whey, though farmers had assured him that tliey were getting good results. Biitter arid' caseiii combined would on present prices give better results than clieeee. j Chorus: No. Mr Dingle requested the' shareholders to approach thd matter with an open mind. It was useless to say without consideration that this thing or that thing was no good. For many years he and others had thought there was no good coming out of the Agricultural Department, but they had changed their opinion. A shareholder: We’ve had to pay for it.

Mr Dingle: Yes, and it’s paid us well to pay for' it. Mr Dingle went on to say that he was Very glad to see the Midhirst people going' in' for casein. The directors had done so without consulting their shareholders

Another shareholder: Yes, and they will be put out at the next annual meeting. Mr Dingle continued that lie hoped Midhirst would make a success of the matter, and they surely deserved to do so. Mr Pederson gave a very effective answer with regard to a Wanganui creamery having changed from blitter and casein to cheese, the farmers’ calves and pigs having died when attempted to be reared on the casein whey. He said that it must be remembered that the new prdeess of manufacturing Casein was not then in existence, and the sulphuric acid process of manufacturing casein was not then in existence, arid the sulphuric acid process might have been the cause. Lafctic ’acid was the new process employed. : MV Pederson also answered satisfactorily qriCstionfe 1 as' to the extra work entailed, stating that Midliirst employed ah extra irian, and did not give their old staff more work, ait their former wages. Mr Mcßride moved, and Mr Webb seconded, that the Stratford Co-oper-ative Dairy Company was not prepared to manufacture casein at the present time, and at the present price. ) Mr Mfirfbll' moved that if be a recommendation to the directors to instal a 1 green casein plant at any creamery whose shareholders'so desired. The amendment was. not seconded, and'the motion \vas : then carried, Mr Marfell alone dissenting.