The Daily News THURSDAY, JANUARY 4. BUTTER EXPORT FROM PATEA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8019, 4 January 1906, Page 2

The Daily News THURSDAY, JANUARY 4. BUTTER EXPORT FROM PATEA.

The grounding of the Knpiti at the mouth of the Paten River on Sun- ' day, while starting on the voyage to Wellington with over four thousand boxes of butter aboard, draws prominent attention to the difficulties of [working that port. We are quite prepared to admit that, considering the natural disadvantages with which r.he entrance to the Patea River is beset, the Harbour Board lias lone much towards facilitating tho irade of the port, and the enterprise jxhibited in fostericg that trade is cartainly deserving of better results. [f it were possible to secure free ingress and egress of vessels without tne serious risks that seem to be inherent to the channel from the sea to the whaif, P.itei might well look forward to a permanent seaborne trade, but, unfortunately, there is not the remotest probability of Patea being anything else than a lazardous port to negotiate. There ire times when all goes well and no mishap oocurs, but the danger of a vessel grounding or being wrecked is an ever-present one. In fact, the

position of affairs seems to be somewhat akin to that of a player at the gaming tables—there are runs of good and bad luck. # * # #

Possibly, beyond inconvenience and expense, the oscasional stranding or lestruction of a vessel at Paten, would not matter materially so fav as the carriage of ordinary commercial i freight is concerned, and though on I svery occasion when vessels come to grief the misfortune is matter for regret, yet there is nothing to do but bow to the inevitable, and hope the loss is not heavy, nor the inconveni - ence .serious. At the same time there is no use in pretending that Patea is a sufficiently reliable harbour, from which to ship the dairy pioduce of the southern end of the district. We are quite a warn that in making this assertion we lay ourselves open to the retort that it is prompted by jealousy. The perform - nice of a duty in the interests of th« community frequently leads to mo , .ives being misconstrued. Moreover ■> ich an idea is utterly absurd, as ".here cannot possibly be any such feeling as between New Plymouth uid Patea, although we readily ad:nit that but for dairy produce being shipped at Patea it would come via Sew Plymouth, Nor do we hesitate to affirm that the industry would be better served by adopting New Plymouth as the despatching port. Circumstances have proved it, though we fear that ere the lesson is driven home, irreparable injury will happen to our staple industry. * # * #

There is uo article exported from the colony that requires such exceptional treatment as butter. It i.s of no use to spend time, money, brains, and enterprise in the manufacture of butter unless the finished product can be sent to the world's markets in perfect condition. We cannot shut our eyes to the fact that a few thousand boxes of spoilt butter placed on the Home market would go a long i way towards ruining the good name jand reputation which it has taken many- years of hard, conscientious battliug to obtain. Recognising the supreme importance of this conten tion, it behoves the producers to run no risks. The great aim has been, is, md will be, to place on the market an article of uniform excellence, in order that New Zealand, and esntsially Taranaki, butter may secure top prices. Never has this been so plainly emphasised as during the present season, when prices have reached a point far beyond the dreams of producers of a few years back. The danger, therefore, of miming any risk of spoiling butter after leaving the cool stores is infinitely greater now than over, and we distinctly urge the producers to look the matter fairly and squarely in the face, and to act in self-defence. It may be. that having once been persuaded to ship their produce via Patea they may feel in honour bound to.continue that course, but let it be said right here—there is no room for sentiment in a competitive business such as that of the dairy products. Success depends entirely on the adoption of the best, safest and most reliable methods, and only these will avail. It seems somewhat hard to have to say that shipments of bufctev from Patea may become a menace to the dairy industry of this district, but facts are stubborn things. Can the producers afford to ignore the conditions under which they are trusting to luck and not to judgment? We think not, and, what is more, if they regard the matter in its true light they must I come to the same conclusion.

Anotuku aspect of the question is that any delay in forwarding consignments, especially when the market price is high, may lead to considerable loss. This of itself should be a very strong inducement for exporters to send their produce by the safest and most reliable route. Wo are not concerned with the question of insurance rates or other charges and expenses. Nor for that matter do we advocate .'■' hipping from New Plymouth if a better route can be found, Our aim is to impress on those who live by dairying that they will bo well advised to run no more risks such as those which the Kapiti has lately incurred. The interests of the dairy industry demand that the greatest care should be exercised that butter shall not be exposed to varying temperatures, and that it shall lie shipped Home in the best of condition. That being so, those exporters who wilfully ignore the first essentials of their business by trusting to good luck in shipping from Vatea may, and probably will, wake up ere long to take the consequences of their misplaced zeal in a had ven ture. We are actuated by no unfriendliness to Patea, and it is only as regards butter that we arc impelled to utter these words of warning with reference to shipping from that port, which is npt, and never can be, a sufficiently large and reliable despatching depot for such a delicate | product as our dairy produce.