THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 280, 19 April 1911, Page 3

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

AX APPEAL TO DAIRYMEN, i [By Joe It. Simpson.] Part I. In connection with the above and in continuation of other letters 1 have forwarded as to reorganisation bv centralising the manufacture at the "port I should like, through your columns, in as plain a manner as possible, to draw the attention of the individual dairy farmer to the ridiculous state their apathy has allowed so-called co-operation in their business to put them in. The "Daily News." circulating as it does to every factory and creamery in the province, otters the dairyman exceptional opportunities of learning in the quickest possible manner the happenings of the world outside, and if I draw rather largely on your space, I hope you will agree that the matter is of sufficient importance to warrant the demand. OVERHAULING OUR SYSTEM. As a dairy farmer of 15 years' experience, I hold the time has arrived for a serious reconsideration of the system that obtains at present. I hardly think to find one who will agree that things should remain as they are. The State, under its Liberal Progressive policy, profiting by the mistakes made in other countries, has taken advantage of what other countries have done to rectify those mistakes by inaugurating State farms, experiments in cropping, manures, cattle-rearing, etc. I hardly think it is necessary to ..remind the reader of all, but I'll ask him if he knows what "The State" means? And all this has been for the betterment of the man on the land, but to reach the full benefit of what has been done and what can be done for him he must, as I said before, do his part—that is, cease being divided sis at present and combine as one. The centralising of the butter product will show how much farther he can go towards co-operation, and the policy of the State is to that end. It can only reach its finality, Mr. Dairy Farmer, through you! REACHING THE CONSUMER. I maintain that all foodstuffs, whether butter, cheese, meat or grain, should go lo the consumer from the producer with the least possible handling by any class of merchants, who are nought but para- j sitical institutions that are not now needed. To reach that object should be ' the aim of those placed in positions of trust by the majority of fanners. It must be obvious that the consumer must' benefit without any detriment to the producer, who, with less intermediate monetary charges could supply his articles at a much reduced and equally payable figure, thereby lessening the demand for and manufacture of such trash as margarine and other arti' ! oial substitutes, and enabling the consumer to obtain a more healthy and nutritive and natural food. They talk about supply and demand! How many hundred thousands never eat butter? Yet we can have a glutted market. If there, isn't something radically wrong there must be a reasonable explanation. Advancing in production as is New Zealand yearly, and leaving the prevailing system and conditions to meander of their own sweet will towards betterment, where is the surplus over the present output going to? Your returns will get lower and lower, you'll find, and then—what? Find fresh markets, en? And there are enormous numbers of consumers to bo found in the Old Country who want simply a cheaper article because they cannot pay the figure demanded by the go-between merchant. Look here,- fellow dairymen. get to work and think this matter out. T may be on the wrong track, hut you'll agree some big alteration is urgently needed. If one takes the indications prevailing, a tremendous upheaval is likely to occur which will affect us greatly, and to be prepared by solid combination is our only hope. I say I again that

CENTRALISING THE MANUFACTURE at the port is the main objective and a tremendous saving to the individual and strengthening of the industry against all attack must ensue. A director of a dairy company of many years' service says that there can he no better method of selling than the present, which takes 1 per cent. I'll wager if you gave one man 1000 tons instead of 40 or 100 lie would do it for a much smaller percentage; so, leaving the present system of selling alone, and centralising manufacture, we should save there, shouldn't we? Hut with factories all at sixes and seven* regarding methods of make, brands, etc., no real benefit could be expected compared with the finality which L hope to see brought about. It is very interesting to hear views expressed by farmers in different parts, and, of course, such views are given as how they have read my former I articles. One man whose vision is palpably thickened cannot see a saving in fuel. It's hardly wortli while arguing with such, but surely one can see that fuel put from the ship to the works is going to add shekels to the general saving. Another says: "Look at the cost of carting cream on the rail!—forgetting that butter has to be carted to the port, and he also forgets we have to pay both ways for the necessaries needed in manufacture. "We ought to save a big lump in managers' screws and office expenses." sars another, and we would, if the thing is gone about in a proper spirit. A cheese factory supplier pointed out that if "this scheme were given effect to it would enable cheese factories, when cheese did not pay, to 'take on' butter at very small expense, as only machinery necessary for cream would need tolie installed. ' "One man advocates all factories within three miles to combine. There mav be benefit in that, but it is hardlv worth while considering, compared with the savings and advantages of the finality, and if we have to move let us finish the moving business and have done with it. Let us reap some benefit now as well as the following generation. Yes. Mr. Dairyman: it's a big thing to tackle, but it's' not so impossible now. however it may have been ten years ago, and if the SPIRIT OF TRUE CO-OPERATION can be shaken up it will come quicker than vou think. It is interesting to hear t"ne older farmers who took in hand the formation of the present companies relate their experience of the scoffs, sneers, etc., they met with, and how the few took on their shoulders the responsibility; but the scoll'er took the share of the benefit when he saw it could be a success! Has there been no improvement since olden times? We are going ahead bv degree-, but erect centralising works aiid the jump will be more marked. [ would like here to mention a remark bv a townsman, and he asks "if a wharf in connection with central works would not result in greater convenience] and savinc?" Other harbors have special wharves. T believe, but -oiiieone el-e can. perhaps, elaborate thai point. The large i amount, of magnificent back country that will go to sheep on account of the difficulty of butter factory building could account for suitable creameries, more of which could be erected and thereby be a saving and an encouragement to the dairv"farmer: and don't forget that the more cream worked up under the. one roof the better for all, isn't it? Smaller expense in erecting up-to-date skimming stations (suitable buildings could

be erected whew under present conditions it is impo-.sible), smaller expenses for upkeep, less hands employed, les.s ollice expenses, less rail charges in bringing the stuff from the port to the factory and back to the port again, and sq on. THE SAVING IN .MACHINERY. You all know as well as I do what saving there would be at your individual factory if it were simply a skimmer, and yoli know perfectly well that machinery would lessen the number of hands required for working the butter if it were done in a lump at one place, and if those things are not going to bring down the cost of production, then it's time we shut up altogether. The article you sell at lOd now may Jiave to go at a much smaller figure, and what about it then? Be amalgamated as one solid combinaton and you would welcome the time; go as you are and howl at the Government (that has done and is doing all it can to assist you) to reduce this and that because the cost of living was high, etc., but do nothing to help yourselves out of the rut your own apathy is getting you in! Where is the sense of farmers producing one kind of article and getting ready to strangle each other under the present system. If co-opera-tion means "a' th'gither," why not »o the "whole hog" on it? Remember this: It's one of yourselves that's talking, ami you see no virtue in it; but I have noticed a failing in you chaps to the effect that if a stranger of the black-coat, stifF.collar, square hatted species interested in our product came along with some such suggestion the "kowtowing" and humbug would sicken a saint. Isn't that correct? The farmer sees the benefit of going to the maker for his manures; etc.; and cuts out the middleman and his profit, thus showing he can be dispensed with. If on one count, why not on the other? There is not under the present system one bunce of co-operation in the dairy business, and what little there is is spasmodic. The farmer will yet recognise the foolishness of standing "on his own" in all things—as an individual, as a factory, as a party, "all together" —all for one, one for all (as with the Danes), and our country and the kiddies most particularly. What obtains in place of that just now, eh? It would make an interesting piece of reading to show the petty tricks of fnvmcrs as individuals, as factory suppliers, as intelligent men, in- trying to get the litst of each other. I may some day try my I hand at it!