OUR STAPLE INDUSTRIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 175, 3 November 1910, Page 3

OUR STAPLE INDUSTRIES.

RURAL NEW ZEALAND UNDER REVIEW By R. J. EAIIES. NO. 2. [All Rights Reserved.] T/1 "v A'KI: THE PROVINCE PROLIFIC. It slioulrl he noted that the writers intention is to deal with the various parts of New Zealand according to their official grouping as land districts. So .that when the information is collated ana the production is ultimately expressed in ficures it will he understood to cover a land district. In the North Island there are four of sueli districts—laranaki, Auckland, ITawke's Bay and Wellington—and thev will he reviewed in that order. Roughly, the Taranaki distriet embraces an area from the mouth of the Mokau river, north-east to the vicinity of Te lvuiti, south to Taumaiunui, and south-west to the mouth of the Patea river. Tile gross area of the district is -2.417.2 : )!) acres, and fully twothirds of the whole is declared to be crood land. Ahout Mount Egmont the configuration of the country furnishes a valuable watering system and the numeious and never-failing streams render possible the highest development of the dairying industry. Ait the same tin..' the perfect drainage ti) the district which these streams give is not regarded as an unmixed blessing. It is said to be a singular fact that' unlike the river frontages in Canterbury, the stream slopes in Taranaki are much less feitilc than the flat lands a.bove—which means, it is argued, that every stream represents a large amount of waste (or partially waste) land. If the streams did not exist there is artesian water in abundance without any deep sinking. In the whole of the district the cropping that is done is not considerable. The latest figures available give the total aiesi under crops as 1-,190 acres. It is essentially a grazing and dairying province. There is no farming in the sen=e. say, that grain-growers would tinders' 1 the term. ''All you do," said one o •m, "is to put up your fence —and tlier you are!"' But dairy farmers know that there is as much'science required in the successful pursuit of their business as in any other department of rural life. THE OLD ORDER CHANGK'ftf.

One has only to take a run through the country to be struck with the great improvements in the dairying conditions of South. Taranaki which have been effected within the last decade. There was a time when life on a dairy farm was painful drudgery. In wet weather the cows often slopped into insanitary byres through mud which slushed 'them to the udders as they moved. When the weather was cold, to accomplish the tedious tasks of morning and night required much fortitude. Farmers and their wives and families all worked haul to help their united fortunes. And reward came. Co-operation enabled communities of men to turn out a uniformly high quality of produce and in such big quantities 'tlfat it was well worth the attention of London buyers. The demand for butter and cheese grew uatil these products came to be regarded by the masses not as luxuries, but as necessary articles of daily diet. And as soon as the industry became firmly established the lot of the dairy farmer began rapidly to improve. Those who bought in before prices reached their present high level were able in successive fat years to reduce and still further reduce their mortgages, until to-:!ay the countryside is : dotted with the homes of men of assured I standing. Co-operation made possible a system of finance which provided the milk cheque with unfailing regularity, and the ready "money thus made available builds up the Taranaki townships which commercial travellers will tell you are amongst the soundest in New Zealand to-day. Oh every hand the hammers and saws of the contracting carpenters have been busy. The wliares which did pioneer service in housing the earlier settlers soon gave way to cottages and were allotted a humbler service as shelter- or trap sheds. In their turn the cottages have been displaced by commodious dwellings with conveniences which adequately minister to the increasing requirements of modern life. Art lent its grace and refinement to the home of the dairy farmer, until to-day liis domestic surroundings compare favorably with those of any other section of workers in the Dominion. At a function in connection with the Winter Show, held in Hawera last July, there was a quaint toast honored. It was "Her Majesty, the Cow." And when one sees the many beautiful homesteads that have materialised by way of the milk-bucket one feels inclined to follow the example of the late Sir Thomas Bent, recently Premier of Victoria, who professed that he raised his hat whenever ' he met ''hc-r majesty." DAIRY MACHINERY.

The writer lias not yet acquired sufficient information to enable an estimate to be formed of tlie amount of money invested in dairying machinery in Taranaki, but it must be enormous. If ever manufacturing firms were rewarded 'by the la<bor legislation which raised the rates of wa«e.», those engaged in producing milking machinery have been so blessed. Although 110 award existed to determine the farm hand's rate of pay, the upward tendency throughout New Zealand reacted directly upon this district. Not only were the wages-slieets swollen but the milkers became more touchy ami upon very slight provocation were prepared to "give the boss the Rack." At <-riJir.il periods of the milking season the iikh wore the masters and the employing i.iniurs really had to do pretty much 'as they were told. In this state of ail'airs it i> not surprising that the proffered aid m' mechanical inventions was welcomed. liad it not been for the ciuujii.uanecs the milking machine —labor -dy-.y that it is—would not have sprang into popularity so ouickly. Its general adoption was largely due to" neees-;it\. This must not be taken as a disparagement of the milking machine, for havia.; installed it, whether from preference or necessity, the farmers are few and far between who would declare for :• Hie::; sif the old ham! method. SHED i M ITvOYEMENTS.

The grout improvements that have been mode in Hie milking sheds of the district form iu>t tue least conspicuous feature of the changes that are taking place on the ilsiirv farm 4 . Sheds are no longer mere 'Vlier< through which the raiii may tri.';! 1 i-baudantly upon the long-suffering ;;e..f the milkers bend-in-jr to their'Tilliin the past six or seven year'' 1' i' 1 . 1 of new sheds have been'lciiH—>licds that are built to star. Practically all of them are amply commodious with nearly perfect lighting anil veiitilatnvr arrangements, while the concrete f!o<>" - —' enable the "whole

place to be "k«-|u cU-m e.ml fresh. These .sheds are now places of comfort for the cattle as well as f:>v the. men. Improved yard l and race accommodation Ims re-

suited in the cow's 'being able to reach the byres in a cleanly state, and altogether the conditions contribute to the milk supply being sweet and sound and wholesome —without which qualities it is impossible to produce the highest gratle butter and cheese. A GREAT DAIRYING YEAR.

Reports from all parts of the North and South Islands indicate that the current season will easily create a record in the output of the Dominion's dairy produce. Fortunately consumption keeps pace with production, and authorities who understand the position give the assurance that no matter how large this year's increase may be New Zealand's increase of itself will not materially, if at all, affect the price on the London markets. Certainly in Taranaki there is every promise of another year of abundance. The pastures are in splendid heart and the condition of the cattle, speaking generally, is thoroughly good. In another article I ; "opose giving an indication of the probable increase in this year's output from South Taranaki, and also some particulars of the factories situated in that fertile stretch of country which runs from the south of ITawera away through Manaia and past Kaupokonui. This area embraces a strip of country which people who live there declare to ibe the most valuable stretch of dairy land not only in the Dominion <! v, t would be too modest) but in the world!