Dairying: Its Needs and Prospects.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 16, 20 January 1904, Page 4

Dairying: Its Needs and Prospects.

INTEKVIEW WITH MR McOOWAN. Mr D. J. Mctiowan, recently Acting Dairy Co'iiuniwsioner, who lnu> accc-ptud an eng'agieiinMit with Messis J. MacEwan aiid Co., of Wellington and New I'lym-outh, was interviewed the other day by a New Ziealand rimes representative. "In roviiewinig- the iMiK'ilio'n," replied Mr McGowan, in answer to a question, "it muat be admitted that we have undoubtedly made very glivat progress during the last few yearn in improving the Quality of our manUiiUcturcs, in shipp-ing facilities and marketings, but there is yet much to be done if we wiuli to luainytuim our reputation und hold the place we hu-ve secured on the world's markets. Jt should, however, I* remein!beiti:l that competition is yearly Ix-coming k-eener, aiwl uhat althe/ugili we are ma,kii'n'g steady progress, others are striving by <-\ery nieaiim in tiw-ii- power, and pioU.luly on U'ttv-r linv.s- than ourselves, to improve the quality of their g'oods. "The Government has done much to luster the dairying industry, but in my opinion its efforts in solneiespects have been directud along the wronig lines. 'Jake, for instuince, its cojitr.'itutioin towards the cost of freezing' aa.d stora'gv of tlaiiiy [irod'uee lief ore silripmen-t. For the year ei.H-i'll'g March 31, IUO3, there was ajMM'oximately exiH-mded in litis way tlie sum of JLih/UU. 1 concede that tjiis assiwtaJice was well directed, awl much appreciated by those inteiesU'.l in dairying in Hie days of liiie initiation oi our dairy export trade, but 1 claim that it is not at the present time wurlulntuJ. Half the money so spent, if directed towards Jjetter meains of education, alvng the iiiM's of more economical prouut-tion and improved aind more elUcient methods of luuliuifacture, uoukl do better service to those eufajjtd in live business and be more '.asling in its ellects." ''But isn't this assistance needed to cope with our competitors?" "It was in the pjasl, but it is not by assisting to pay tiliu cost of production ai.ad marketing that we will prepare our dairymen to meet the keen competition from other countries. We want to improve the Quality of our products, and that can ojnly be done by instructing the main u lac Hirers- in scientilic proiduct'ioiii. Our aim should be to make tho q/i'ality of our praJuce of such a nature that it will s-tainid the test of the keenest competition." "Wouliil not the estaiblistoment of an expei-imon-t-al station to a consideiiiiole. extent meet present delects ?" '"Yes. I recognise that the one thrng we now want more titan anything else is such a station, run on smi'ilai-j lines to u voftu contductod so siU'cWftrlly i„ the United States ami Oaniadal- lllow-ever, „ great'deal i.as teen said on the |( ( uestion, both »'i th,; officers of the dairying dlivi••»'«t Had others, and it seems „ 0 nearer lealisation than it was four years ago, when a sum of monev »a« actually placed on the estimat « for this purpose. I i favt , a i Wttvs 'Kaintamtd that we sfliouM have if »t>t a permanent dairy school, 'a, 'oast an iiistit.ut.ion where those, enWvgumg in Hue business would ob Urn a t.-c-jmical and scientilic knowledge <rf | le , 111-er , yl the mtanniiacture of butter a.,J theese, and milk-testing ; or if such an institution were only available lor the higiher educalion of the men attache,! to the department it would be invaluable for they could disseininate their knowledgvj througH,out the country." M