THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 148, 11 November 1912, Page 2

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

AN INTERESTING'REPORT. The report -presented at the 28th annual meeting of shareholders of the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Company contained the following clauses:--The profit for the year, including the balance brought forward from last year is £9197, which the directors recommend be dealt with as follows:—Payment of dividends at the rate of 0 per cent., which will absorb about £2160; payment of a bonus to suppliers for cheese manufactured in accordance with arrangements made with them, amounting to £1931; the balance, amounting to £SOBB 10s 9d to be carried forward/ Supplies of milk for all purposes have been very satisfactory, showing an increase of 201 tons of butter, 132 tons of cheese, and 37,373 gallons of milk and cream for town trade. In moving the adoption of the annual report, the chairman said the result would have been very much better as far as the butter export business was concerned but for the unfortunate strikes In Britain • causing widespread loss to all classes-. Before the strike commenced a small quantity sent on consignment realised as high as 137s per cwt. The widespread distress that followed the strikes affected the market so seriously that the price realised for several shipments was less than the price paid to farmers, with the result that there was no profit left for division as a bonus on this branch of the business. The effect on the cheese market was entirely different, the high price of meat causing a larger demand for cheese as a substitute, which naturally caused a better market for cheese. The Canadian supply has fallen off to a great extent, causing a greater demand for New Zealand products. The prospects of the dairy industry were never so bright as at the present time. The difficulty of obtaining suitable labor for milking is seriously felt, with the result that many farmers' arc giving up dairying wherever the land is suitable for other products. The system of home separation will, 1 am afraid, have a serious effect on the quality of export butter. In my opinion the law regarding the branding of export butter requires serious consideration.. At present homo separated cream, which was never near a creamery, is branded "creamery butter." Whey mutter made, at a cheese factory is also branded "creamery butter." ' This probably will have, a bad effect on New Zealand dairy produce. The motion was carried.