FARM AND DAIRY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 138, 9 July 1909, Page 4

FARM AND DAIRY

BUTTER v„ CHEESE. MR. PARSONS' OPINION. Mr. Parsons, chairman of directors of the Dairy Union, has been giving his ('pinion on the vexed question of cheese versus butter to the Eketahuna Express. He stated that the union was erecting a cheese plant at Ash-hurst, '.vhere sixteen new suppliers were aseured'by the alteration, and the whole had signed on for three years. Despite this, he considered the Ashliurst people were not studying their best and Insting interests. His impression was that che'es'c would not long hold its .present value, due to the fact that cheap mut- ; ton -would supplant it. The English people were a meat-eating race, and when 2%l'b of mutton could he purchased at the same price as llh of as at present, there was bound to he a falling-ofT in the consumption of the latter, and a consequent di-op in price. Again, Canada was devoting its energy to cheese production, and by one means and another the market would he glutted. He believed the butter market would .be equally as good next year as it wae last aeaaon, and if butter was produced with less moisture there was no reason why it should not reach the values obtained two years ago. Mr. Parsons said he would certainly ; advise suppliers to the union to stick to -butter, though if they chos'e the union would accede to their request under certain conditions. These conditions were that when a cheese-making plant was installed a separate account was openecl, and besides a portion of the secretarial and management expenses being a charge against the factory, the interest on the amount expended and 10 per cent, depreciation on the plant and building had to be met. Suppliers, where a cheese plant had been installed, were given the option, should cheese values recede or any other contingency nri6e, of reverting again to butter, provided interest on the discarded plant was paid as well as the depreciation. This would mean, said Mr. Parsons, a tax of 10s per cow per annum on 300 cows. His opinion was that suppliers under the existing conditions had nothing to complain of and should let well alone.

The annual meeting of the Midhirst Co-operative Dairy Factory Company ■will be held on tile 2(ith July, and in the report to be presented the directors congratulate the shareholders upon a most successful year. The milk received and butter made show a considerable increase 011 the previous year, as the following figures will show:—l9o7-8: Milk received, 21,352,136 lbs; average test, 4.04; butter-fat, 803,105; butter made, 950,101'; milk to butter, 22.20; over-run, 11.01. 1908-9: Milk received, 23,474,493; average test, 4.04; butter-fat 949,680; butter made, 1,083,621; milk to butter, 21.66; over-run, 14.10. The balance-sheet shows a surplus of £2,047 4s lid, which will suffice to make nl further payment of %d per lb on butterfat for the months October to May, inelusive. Suppliers will then have been paid at the following rates: June ll'/jd, July Is, August Is 2d, September is, October to March (inclusive) ll%d, April and May 10%—average 11.09 d. Messrs, P. Kciglitley, N. Rnndrup, and A. A. Ward, tile retiring directors, offer themselves for re-election. Mr. T. 11. Penn again offers his services as auditor. Mr. F. Kleeman, manager, comes in for a word of praise, the factory and creameries being in good going order and up-to-date. The butter sent Home was in sound condition and of first quality.