New Zealand Produce.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLV, Issue 263, 22 December 1903, Page 4

New Zealand Produce.

SOME HINTS TO FARMERS. (New Zealand Times.) With the, great progress that is berng imade in our' dai'ryi'iK ii dustry, which now plays such an important part ,in New Zealand's export trade, any hints from luen of experience that may help to guide farmers isn t'heir methods of production must possess more than ordinary interest. Therefore, some observations; made to a Times reporter by Mr .1. F. Pearson, of the well-known firm of English ' produce merchants, Pearson and Itutter, Ltd., in the presence of the ' Acting-Hairy Commissioner, are of value at the present moment. Mr Pearson has been investigating the condition and prospects of the New Zealand dairying industry, and having completed his enquiries, was from Wellington on Fridby by the Mon-o-wai, for Sydney, on his return to England. " I consider," said Mr Pearson, in reply to questions, " that -the pro-

nt-s arising out of this business, so far as the New Zealand producer is concerned, might he increased to the farmer if he would arrange to bring nis cattle in earlier in the season, ami would improve the condition of his cows earlier in the season bjy means of supplementary feed, either ensilage or dry feed. My reason fior saying that is that at present from one to two months elapse before the cows get into a thoroughly good condition ; and, moreover, the Australian producers bring their cows in earlier, with the conseqjuence that their butter is on the English market a month or six weeks earlier than that from New Zealand. English buyers become accustomed to taking what is earlier on the market, and thus a good deal of business is lost to New Zealand. Besides this, the natural sequence would be that the cows would dry off earlier in the season."

Mr McGowan, Acting-Dairy Commissioner : "But cows coming in earlier will ;work Just long to Hhe season." str Pearson : Still, that would be a natural sequence—a cow coming in earlier would dry oft earlier and the production of 'butter would take place at a' time when the highest price couM be realised in the slackest season. It is '- alleged that the reason why this has not been done in the past is the trouble it pntails and the slight extra cost In. feeding, but as competition increases, and as prices for butter tend to become lower, this question will have to be faced by New Zealand farmers; and 1 think it is better to be beforehand, that to wnlt until New producers are forced into tne position. If your Government would recognise the value oj this, and allow your dairy instructors tp advocate it, it would, I think, soon be adopted." Mr McGowan : The Dairying Department has been advocating it. Mr Pearson, questioned as to his opinion of tfie 'future ou|tlo;ok ■ for our produce, observed that whilst dairy farmers continued to adopt progressive methods of conducting their business, the future of the industry 'is assured. "So long as butter can be produced and shipped at a cost not exceeding mnepence, f.0.b., practically any quantity can be sold on the British markets," he added. " A ruling price of one shilling nt Homq ,will'< conduce towards its greater consumption. It is well to remember Ohij: fact : that New Zealand producers will in the future mainly have to depend upon the British market. I have consistently advocated a standard price of ninepence for export." " And the reason ?" " Well, because the great buttterconsumrng clafis at Home are the artisans and wage-earners generally. They only haw a limited amount to spend for food, and if they can get good butter at a shilling, they will prefer it to tRe cheaper substitutes—margarine and so on. "The Danish article? I have no hesitation in saying that much of the butter; when freshly produced here, is absolutely as good, and, in niy judgment, often superior to the bulk of Danish butter, but you must bear in mind that fresh Danish and Irish creamery! butter hjap thisj advantage over that from New Z^a-

land—the New Zealand has by necessity to be stored for a couple of months before it can be placed on the Home market, It is a disadvantage that cannot be got over, whereas Danish and Irish butter can be placed fresh on the market. A,s to the Argentine, that country will be New Zealand's mqst formidable competitor—far more so than Siberia- The same argument applies 'm ti gland 'to idairy ordduic« las it does to frozen meat—the Argentine xpji -picXiuca clfoaper, apd Is in clpser prjjxjmity to the British markets, and freights fi/m lower, whilst . tile question of exchange—the currencywill always be in favour of the Argentine ; they pay m silver pnd get their money in gMd at Home. I don't, however, view the competition from Siberia so seriously as I do that of the Argentine, and, of course, of Australia." •• Why ?" " For three reasons, Firstly, Siberian butter is produced during y6ur winter season- Secondly, jthe average quality of Siberian butter is rapidly improving, and the proportion of good 11 Jitter is such that it can be sold readily, so that in point of fact it will be sold fresh as it arrives, obviating the necessity of being stored for sale to confectioners and others until February and March. Of course, the market is affected, and prices are reduced during the English summer by the increased supplies from Siberia, but an enormous demand is thereby created, the benefit of which is gained by the colonial butter in the autumn. Thirdly, the extension of the Trans-Siberian railway to Eastern Asia is opening up new markets for Russjarti butter, and the exports of Siljerian butter to Engiland wii'l thus be diminished. "In regard to Australia ? Well, the increase in this .season's output far exceeds the most sanguine estimates at the commencement of the season, showing Australia's enormous recuperative power. The exports from Australia to the United Kingdom this season will probably exceed 12,000 tons, against HiOO tons last ypar, when the severe drought was experienced, and agaiinst .VHX) tons the season before that. Feed in parts of the Commonwealth this season is so luxuriant that you can scarcely see the cows in some places. That probably means lower prices for New Zealand prodpee at Home, and when prices become affected New Zealand farmers ivill be compelled to adopt more up-to-date methods of production, and got out of t.hpir land its utmost producing capacity by ju(JTcious cropping and fertilising. At present most of them put nothing into their land. It is interesting to note that last year New Zealand exported 18.000 tons of butter. This season the total butter exports should reach over 1u,D.00 tpns. " Canada will be enormously increasing her production during t>he next t'c.v years, and in saying this I am by no means pessimistic regarding the future of New '/leahtnd buttee. for so long as New Zpaland farmers can produce a fairly good article at a reasonable price they need have nothing to fear. Of course, I may be rather prejudiced in favour of New as my firm hps no special interest either in or Argentine, but we go in slol'id for the New Zealand article. " With respect to your cheese output, I may allude to the system adopted in Canada by cool-curing—-the matifrihg of cheese in the chanir bers at a temperature of 45 to 50 degrpss, linstussd of as in New

land. What is thait temperature, Mv McGowan?" Mr McGowan : Anything you like." Mr Pearson : " The experiments conducted botili in Canada and at Home show conclusively the effect on the keeping quality and in regard to shrinking, as beneficial to it'he producer. Of course, this will involve some slight additional expense to the factories adopting the system, but iln my opinion the resjuKs obtained will pay for any, additional cost incurred in a very short tiirye, and it is a question well worth the serious consideration of both our Agricultural Department and those engaged in the industry." Mr McGowan : " We're going to give you cool-curcd cheese this year. Wc have been advocating the use of the refrigerating power available I here."

Mr Pearson : " As to the maturing of cheese, I have found that a considerable quantity of Australian and New Zlealand cheese arrives at Home in an immature condition, and consequently where market considerations demand quick sale, the cheese is placed too early in the hands of consumers, and doesn't give the amounft of satisfaction which it ought to do, Having regard to the fact that it has to compete with matured English and Canadian cheese. I am of opinion that cheese should be retained on the shelves at least six weeks before shipment, and the gain in price which would result would far outweigh any increase of shrinkage accruing before shipment, whilst it would ale(o probably obviate the necessity of elaims for short weight from the other side." In conclusion, Mr Pearson emphasised the necessity for educating huttermakers by the establishment of schools of instruction in this colony , m order "to keep up a constant anil adequate supply of competent managers and butter-makers. He added that he carried awny with mm very pleasant recollections of New Zealand, and acknowledged the courtesy he received from those engaged to the dairying industry with whom he has come into contact during his stay here.

An M.H.R.'s Qualifications The following amusing description of the qualifications necessary in a successful politician of to-day was given byf Sir Joseph Ward when speaking to the 'toast of "The Parliament" at Urenui on Thursday last In his younger days the M H.R. should have endured a severe and sustained course of physical trai/nfcng, and "ift 'his oMlpr days accustom himself to going without sleep for 48 'hours at a stretch- He must have good lung power, and an epidermis of sufficient thickness to turn the shafts of criticism which were sure to be levelled at him. After every encounter, even though worsted, he must rise up smiling. Politically speaking, we stood today; said the Minister, among a very highly educated people- in his travels through the colony he had been ijmpjresseid wijt|h 6hei.(act f;tiiat everyone was keenly alive to the happenings in the political arenaThis was due to two reasons—we had a widely disseminated press, and a good system of education among the young. In the House of Commons a dozen men on either side did all the talking.. In New Zealand the average member .expected by his constituents to giiive voiCfl tp their needs. Any man who undertook to represent the people of New Zealand in Parliament had a big job on hand, He (Sir Joseph) bad been a member ©( tfrs -House of Representatives since 1887, and N thoiigjiit the House a good one. It was talkative, certainly, but members were all doing their best according to their lights. They just as good as they ought to be, for were they not elected by the people ? This hydra-headed body was chosen, not by tthe men alone, but by the ladies also. Therefore i*tdie members were considered bad, and ii they were the pick of the districts they represented, how much worse, argued Sir Joteeplh, amidst laughter, must be those who sent them to Parliament.