The Daily News FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18. A SPLENDID OUTLOOK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 227, 18 September 1908, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18. A SPLENDID OUTLOOK.

l'Virtuno. is in «. merry mood ill its de ilings with Taranuki tliis season. None iia.T ever to brigl, trr prospects. •Atlcr a. winter thai ni 110 singe con*.l lie really termed trying, an early and rejuvenating spring lias followed, tiw two cireutu.-iluiices combining Lu bring about, earlier llian usual, tin' \veleome replenishing of tile producers' cullers. Kverywiirre throughout; the province grass is already plentiful, anil cows have como early to prolit, with the result that the production of milk —■ the base of Tarailaki's material prosperity—is llow•ing to the factories ill ipiantity exceeding far the average of past seasons. Combined with the. increase in proline tiiiu, prices oll'ering fur the dairy factories' outputs constitute almost a record. To this hitter (to us) -auspicious circumstance the unfortunate season experienced in other dairy producing countries has largely contnhuled, the general anticipation being that suplilies of butter and cheese 011 the English market will fall short of requirements. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that farmers everywhere throughout the province are elated with their prospects for a successful season.

Success oiten costs more than it is worth, however, for there are occasions when luen, emboldened by success, become audacious and endeavor to further their immediate interests by means that eventually lead to disaster. There is little danger of any such misfortunt overtaking the great dairying industry in New Zealand, alLhough were it tilregulated and left to its own devices, such success as we have won might not for long be sustained. So long, however as everyone connected with the industry, from the Dairy Commissioner to the 'milker, keeps in view the goal to be reached—maintaining New Zealand dairy produce in the forefront of the world's best quality—no deterioration ! can ensue. Unfortunately, however, there are some farmers with whom the'

possession of any ideal, save pursuit of the immediate milk cheque, is a nonexistent quantity. The great bulk 'if the farmers use the utmost care in ensuring the cleanliness of their milk, but ever/ factory manager can tell oi a minority whose methods are haphazard and risky. If only the latter suffered from -their carelessness it would not be so bail, but a whole vat may thereby lie contaminated and its product depreciated in value. It is only right that the farmer who carries oil his calling on clean and up-to-date lines should be protected from loss through the negligence of a careless neighbor. It was for that very reason that representative dairy farmers cf .Taranaki and Manawatu supported the proposal that the Government should appoint dairy inspectors, selecting for the duties only men of practical experience. The great majority of farmers have little to fear from the visits, of these inspectors, for their methods, while not, perhaps, irreproachable, are above suspicion so far as cleanliness and pi > toction oi the milk from contamination is concerned. The reputation of N."-v Zealand produce demands that every ( means should be adopted, consistent with reason and economy, that will enhance rather than impair its value. That can only be accomplished by insisting that the milking oi cows and the treatment of milk until it reaches the factory sliail be conducted only under sanitary circumstances. Only cominonsense precautions need bo taken to ensure that es- : sential to quality, and it is only right I and proper that they should lie insisted 011 in every case. Tho regulations that have recent I v been drawn up for the I benefit of the industry are, we are convinced, ill tile. best, interests ol every farmer in the province. What is want'd ' is a liberal interpretation of them by inspectors. It is, we are sure, not the desire of the power* that be llial farmers should be harassed into complying with regulations, so long as every misellable precaution is taken to eiisur" the absolute purity of the milk. Such cannot lie attained in dirty sheds, how-

ever. Tin* regulations governing cooling and delivery of milk' to the factories are only making compulsory that which every competent factory manager has urged upon his suppliers in season and out of season. It- is very noticeable that those who -cry out most loudly against supervision arc: those whose methods urgently require correction. The great body of larmers, if they leave ntvt already taken ordinary precautions in the interests of their pockets, freely acknowledge that the industry will be greatly strengthened by a measure of supervision that will ensure deunliness and purity, without which the highe.it quality and the highest prices cannot be secured.

11 is jui unassailable fact that within recent years a vorv groat advance lias , been made in dairying in Tarauaki, alike in tlit' (jiiality of the herds and the general forming conditions. Culling and tho Babcock tester it few years ago were regarded as a hol>iby for 'the theorist. Nojvariavg they form part of every up-to-date farmer's methods, and every year the ranks of alio up-to-date dairy farmers are growing. Even where culling is not, practised, it is not because the wisdom of doing so is questioned, but to t'u* struggling farmer it is a serious matter to sacrifice even a poor producer. Every year, however, is witnessing an improvement, and there is no doubt that the average earnings pur cow in Tar ana ki are increasing by reason of the practice of culling and tendency to improve the herds. A few years will undoubtedly witness much greater advances than the history of the industry lnis hitherto shown, and a position should eventually be readied that will assure for New Zealand buttor and cheese a permanent position 011 'the market of the Old World second not even to Denmark. For tin l highest quality procurable the miarket is rarely over-supplied, and as a purveyor of ''choicest" only our farmers. in lean years, must fare infinitely better than they would were they caterers in a cheaper market where quality was not a-rtino qua lion. Meantime it is pleasant to note the keen competition that exists amongst English buyers to get possession of Now Zealand dairy produce, the handling of which evidently affords satisfaction to all concerned. From present indications Tarauaki'.-; output for the season should easily outstrip all previous records, both in quantity and value.