The Dairy Industry.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 53, 7 March 1904, Page 4

The Dairy Industry.

TRIBUTE T<i> MR HOC*CI, M.H.R. In the course of his remarks at a banquet at Hawera the other uight, Mr Hogg, M.11.R., said that oil the Victorian goldiields in the early days Cork iu casks, was retailed at :2s per pound z being eventually, superseded by u Victorian nrlicle at Is per pound. His hearers would consider thai a good price, especially when contrasted wit It the price realised in New Zealand before tlie cooperative dairy system was instituted. Ue had seen the poor farmers coming into townships in this colony with their weekly supply of butter, Wihicb they disposed of at .'id per pound. Tliev did not, however, receive the current coin of the realm tor it, but had to exchange eight pounds of butter for one pound of tea. Jty the introduction of freezing muchinery this condition of things was completely changed. !f there was one industry more than any other that had helped to maintain our country population, promote clo.se farming, and anchor the people to the soil, il was the dairy industry .(Applause.) The best thanks of the community were to the dairymen and dairymaids of New Zealand, which had in them the best army and navy a country could have. lhe\ were lighting Russia, Canada. Australia, and Denmark in the British markets, with the result that they were bringing untold wealth to this country. As to tko Wui between the Japs aud Russians, it simply resolved itself into a question of bread aud buttm*. Whether the Japs or the Russiaus li«aUd on top—he was of opinion that many would go the other way (laughter)— butter would IJUl JU always on top, and he hoped tliut (he New Zealand article would continue to realise saHsactory prices m th* markets. The Industry nu . n , U1(1 u ,_ ' W !'.° <l, ' m ' v " <l <" Prosper and «eig worthy of ~11 ,h u SU) , jt was possible to give tliwtti. This is one ol the iuok< plwuinj. tribuLos to the valto aju'l importance of the dairy inuußlrj ui the colony that we hu\ e heard lor some considerable time past.