The Daily News. MONDAY DECEMBER 21, 1903. THE DAIRY EXPERT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLV, Issue 262, 21 December 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY DECEMBER 21, 1903. THE DAIRY EXPERT.

It will ijj reineniilierad that when Mr J. A. kmisella resigned his position as Chief Dairy Expert or Dairy Commission*'!' u-uder the New- Zealand Government, Cabvnet dscidexl to oiNta'ilri t'he services of two men to take up the work. One of these was tp came from Deimnark, ami the ctbt-r from Canada. Jt was fomud to be impossible, however, to secure a fully '<|ua)ifiixl Camaidsiajj export, as owing to the great expansion of th» ■da joying iradlustry there the country will require all its own for some time yet. Success attended the enquiries for ft Paniph expert, and Mr

Pudersen has now entered on his d-u- j ties. The appointment -has -handly given general s-ait-isflaiction, principally o>n account of Mr Padersen's lack of fficqu-aint-aince w-ltdi the English l-a|ii'gu>age. It must be q|uite evident to ail that whatever else his qualifications —and we believe the new expert has lvaid all the dairying experience necessary to introduce sonic of t'lue most up-to-date methods of the Dainisih producers— t-his in-ability to coiniver.se fluently in our i-iwiig]uaig-e miupt prove a serious obstruction in carryiM-g o.u-t the -duties of his position. The 'dairying expert of to-tiajy must -be flully acquainted with the theory and practice of butter ajnld cheese making ;- and not only this, but he nrust |«j aWe to lucidly explain the theory and demonstrate its efficacy by practical experiments. It will be -immediately recognised, then, that the new expert labours under considerable disadvantages at present, li)u.-t domjbt-

lisss he wil-l be able by diligent application to overcome this difficulty in a oamipara,tively short time. liaiiymen and factory managers are rather to be congratulated on the consequence of the Government's failure to obtain expert assiistance from CiwitKla, simfce it will proma'bly mean the re-appointment of Mr .J. A. Kinsella. Cabinet seems to lvave recognised -the principle that a thoron-gh-ly competent man must be well paid, and it -is stated that- our late Commissioner will take up his duties at a ni-ore remunerative salary than he received during his previous engagement. Mr Kinsellia's lot has not •be«i oast in happy plases since his departure, he having .suffered from

very serious 'illness on three oeea- I sions since his arrival in South Africa. This circumstainice would weigh very strongly wi'tih him in considering the inducements offered l>y the Department for his return to this toloiw. With bis projected return we must revert to the lack of interest shown by the Government in ejicotiragjiing: the dairy inidnstry. We do not say that dairying' has received no assistance from the State, for we kotow that the 'grading o( our produce and grants for roads have .played an iniporUin't part in its expawsiom ; but then the good prices ruling at Home, a-nd the pluck aind "grit" of the settlers who Kkve surmounted so many difficulties of traction of nvilk to factories iiav« io 'do" with the progress of t'he jwdustry—'Tawaki's staple intfustry—which has become so Important in this, colony. We complain of the action-' O'f Caiblinet in not complying with Mr Itinsella's request anid recoimnendiati'Ola for the establishment of an experimental station such as has proved of incalculable benefit to the industry in Canada. But, though the Commissioner was the recognised authority in matters pertaining to butter and cheese, the Government calmly ignored t'his advice, the aid-op-tion of which would go so far towards improving and maintaining the qjuality of o.ur produce. There are many reasons urged for the founding of such an institution, principal among these bei'ng the facilities whioli would thus be given

fpr jw«stig | ip.ting faults in manufacture, or defects j.n the .quality of milk supplied. Ttefli £hpr.? could also I>e tests manic of the most suitable grasses, manures, and other matters pertaining to- dairying, and the alMmpfOi'tant mainiufaeture of pure cultures for distribution amongst factories as "starters," In the "off" season the experimental station could be made of maiteria' bwnelit t|y allowing factory mauaigen; to attend and study the science or ,butter aiwj cheese making l - At present it is ipiipossi'W.e for the average -luamlgjer or hutter-<)Mfik|.<f ts ascertain what gives his produce those

sliig'ht faults in taste or texturt which render it less .popular than the product of a neigliiUoniring establishment, or why the grading returns oi am month sihoulid 'be so much more or less satisfactory Mian those of the preceding mouth'. All these are matters hi which the experimental station would prove its usefulness, _ and we hope that some day the Minister in charge of the Agricultural Department will recognise the npco&sjty far the institution. The tele Oomnijssi'ohjjr jirclJablj: the bpst W» colony has pvpi' hail, og Ms results huvo 'isftftwn. But mo man enn work under tHstydvwuittl-SPil, tVrr<l we trust that this groat defect in pur dairying system will be r»modied. [>i closing we wchild again refer to the new Dfuiish expert. It seems to us that the b&st ffxjjprt. for us is a New ZeftlaawJer, \Vp smruly h»ve a factory iiiftmaiger '» the cokmy with intellect as souod and enterprise as great as ajny imported expert. We do not say that hie should be taken from fais factory amd put straightway into tihie position of Dairy Commissioner, blut ratiier let him, at *th(j uojiopy's expense visit t'he chief dajryjing cpujjtrjefi of the world and soe aud l«ftm ©| |;h;;ir methods. Than, with bis inborri k'niQw-'ledge of Our conditions ninld tho more latterly acquired familiarity with the doing's <yi our rivals, we would have a maui tliioro uglily competent to take the miana/gemant of the system of dairying in New 'Awilatui. He should be wilglaigiad at a salary that would sullice to keep him here instead of „ having hiim willalnjgf to rush off to any other country an t'he fir kit opportunity of receiving a salary commensurate with the importance of his position. Repeated changes in the Dairy Commissi'O'nership will do more hp-jjy thiam- ■gotx', and since it has become thflt we must 'have an expert, let us take such steps a.s will secure to us the services of the best man oUtninaible who will msist on a uniform system admj t [ w employment of up-to-date methods of mu(niul'a|ctlure and scientific investigation.