The Daily News. TUESDAY, AUG. 15, 1905. THE WEAK SPOT IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7899, 15 August 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. TUESDAY, AUG. 15, 1905. THE WEAK SPOT IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

In an interesting lecture given by Mr J. A. Kinsella, Chief Dairy Commissioner, at Auckland last week, he placed Iris finger on what he considers is the only weak spot in the dairy industry—the improvement ot the raw material—pointing out at the same time that the remedy rested entirely the farmers themselves. "In New Zealand," said the Commissioner, "we have arrived at a stage, so far as methods of making are concerned, where there is very little room for improvement.'* Such a statement i>y the foremost dairy expert in the colony is a high tribute of praise to those who are engaged in the manufacture of butter, and reflects no little credit on the excellent stall of instructors which the Department of Agriculture has for some time past placed at the disposal of those engaged in the dairying business. It is to the intelligent interest taken |>y the Government in fostering this industry that its success is largely due, and that our butter has secured such a commanding position on the London market, resulting in high prices being obtained therefor. Most people will -agree with Mr Kinsella's statement that the more practical New Zealand can make the -dairy industry the better. What is wantel is that the farmers should as a whole wake up to the importance of better feeding and better breeding. Mr Kinsella said that in Denmark the farmers had gone in for a very rigorous and careful system of inspection ; the farmers formed themselves into district bodies, which were subsidised by the. Government, a tax Ireing levied on each cow by the societies for inspection. The system had been so successful that he saw no reason why it should not be tried here. A good many people asked why it was, it Denmark had such a clean milk supply, it yet went in for pasteurisation. It was found iu :he case of New Zealand butter, ilia' even ii the milk supply was improved and made cleaner, sometimes a little dangerous bacteria crept in somehow or other. That being so, the factories had to resort to some means of destroying the bacteria, and that meant pasteurisation. He had told three factory boards of directors in Taranaki thai he believed they must pasteurise this year. If it could be managed vy co-operation, he was prepared to make lest trials a! the factories, and try the experiment of pasteurising half the supply and watching results. This question of pasteurising is one that is still within the region of academical 'discussion, although it is admitted that while it cannot altogether act as a deterrent against the "lishy" flavour, yet it minimises.this objectionable evil which occasionally presents itself owing to some cause which has not yet been thoroughly investigated. There is no room, however, for a difference of opinion with respect to the need for the exercise of the greatest care over the cows themselves and in the cleanliness of the surroundings and equipments of the milking sheds and yards. There is much common sense in the system adopted in Denmark, and as Danish butter tops the market it would seem wise to follow in the footsteps of our successful competitors. The urgency of a progressive policy in dairying receives an additional, impetus from the. fact thai very scrioi':- competition may li-: expected from Argentina, where, as the Commissioner, pointed out, firstclass land can be bought very cheaply, and if, as will probably be the ease, the Republic Wakes up to better methods of milking and manufacturing butter, there would be reason to fear that New Zealand producewould, in the near future, have a dangerous rival. It is by attending to details that the industry has thriven in New Zealand, and if the present posit ion of our produce is to be maintained and improved the same policy must.be pursued. There must be no standing still, but always a striving forward for that perfection l which can only be obtained by patient industry and perseverance. in the right direction. Another, qucs-

tion which Mr Kinsclla touched upon was Hiat of grading—a. matter on which ticre is some divergence of opinion amongst dairymen. So far as Mr Kinsclla could ascertain from inquiries in London, the New Zealand method of grading was thought by most oi those who handled the produe to he one of (he best organised, and on;- of the finest systems probaljly i.. -he world. Regarding the evidence given before the Commission' in Nov; South Wales, he said some strong points had been missed. The value to the farmers of the grading syst.m had been overlooked, and the evidence 1 had kept clear oi the question of ihe practical instruction that was being given in New Zealand to the factory manager and to the supplier. He considers that to allow exporters to use their own brands instead of the factory brands would put nails in the coffin of the work of instruction' and system of grading in this colony, for although New Zealand ..utter had a big reputation in London, and the quality was satisfactory, yet that there is room for improvement was evidenced by the fact of some of our best brands scoring up to 94 points in grading were found to have deteriorated on reaching Home. There, is food for reflection in these remarks of our chief dairy expert, and it behoves the suppliers to take them to heart and pro- , fit by the advice given.