DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 310, 9 June 1915, Page 2

DAIRY INDUSTRY.

SEASON REVIEWED NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION'S REPORT. The twenty-first animal report and balance-sheet of tlie National Hairy Association of New Zealand, to be presented to the general meeting of members at the Pahnerston North winter show, states that during the past year the association has increased its membership by 31 and its credit balance by £573 3s hi, the total credit being .£3282 18s Sd. During the year 28 applications for (lie tegistralion of new factories were made, two for butter, and 2G for cheese, Hi of the latter being in Otngo and Southland. ■Notwithstanding the curtailment of tin? milk supply through the drought, the export of butter to the United Kingdom increased by 13.31 per cent. The. export of cheese, however, decreased by 4.0 per cent. Higli prices followed the depressing effect of the d-chratiou of war. Notwithstanding tl - r. q-uisition of insulated steamers for ! r.uisport purposes, the report continues, "a contract was in existence by which dairy produce has been carried up to the present without any additional freight charge. . . . With the available tonnage in September, 1014, the shipping companies are to be congratulated on the quantity transported to the end of March. The outlook on the latter date was anything but satisfactory, and your executive have been unremitting in their endeavors in urging the Government, and also the shipping companies, to make all necessary provision for the carriage of dairy produce.

. . . Under the circumstances the executive desire to express their appreciation of the consideration and assistance received from members and shippers under exceptional and trying circumstances."

Consignments will show good returns to shippers despite high freights, and reports on quality are good. Reference Is made to need for the standardisation of cheese eases. The exports to America and South Africa decreased, but the War Office in London is taking between 000 and 700 tons of cheese weekly. This product has now reached the high price of 100s per ewt. The following table shows the increasing value of exports of butter and cheese:

The year in each case ends March 31st. The report concludes:—"As to the future, it is probable that conditions on the Continent will not become normal before factories will be considering the disposal of outputs in 1915-10. In any foreeast of the future the above factors should be borne in mind, and there is this further consideration: That while the Army keeps using cheese there is bound to be an abnormal level of prici s and it will be months after peace is declared beforo the Army is disbanded or materially reduced in numbers."

A BRIGHT FUTURE. INCREASED SHIPPING FREIGHTS,

(Referring to the increased shipping freights on dairy produce, which took effect on Juno 1, Mr. Arthur Morton (president of the National Dairy Association), speaking at a conference of dairy factory managers at Hamilton last week said, the National Dairy Association had regularly maintained a contract for the carriage of produce to the Home market. The rate on the existing contract was 2s Gd per box of butter, and 4d per lb net on cheese. The dairy companies had now been informed that the butter freight had been advanced to 3s | per box and cheese to jjd per lb. The National Dairy Association had protested against the increase, but the reply was that the instructions camp from tin London Office of the Overseas Shipping Committee, and no one in New Zealand could remedy the matter. The London office of the National Dairy Association was now taking the matter up. If it turned UUt that the Imperial Government was responsible for the increase, then ffhere was no remedy, as they mint recognise what the Imperial Navy had done to protect thfir produce and' th«ir freedom—(Applause)—and take it as part payment for the protection so afforded.

Regarding the prospects for the coming season, Mr. Morton \va3 very optimistic. Owing to the war, dairy produce had, during tlie past season, readied record prices, and, owing to the higher rate for cheese, many butter factories had been transformed for the manufacture of cheese. He was told there was as many as from fifteen to twenty cheese factories in contemplation in tiie Waikato to be in readiness for nest season. Waibato was not singular in this respect. That the high price for cheese. would continue as long as the war lasted he felt certain, but ft was also strongly probable, that if the war lasted for any considerable time the price of butter would also increase very largely. He had, be announced, reliable information that the Imperial Government was considering the question of using Now Zealand butter as an tinny ration, just as cheese was being used at the present time. If this was decided on, then the price of butter would advance considerably. Ifc did not suggest that factories were doing wrong by going in for cheese. On the contrary, he thought they -were acting wisely. He believed that even after the war had ceased there would be relatively higher prices than in the past for some time, but there would not nearly be. the difference that at presents exists. '

[•Since, the above speech was made an oflidal explanation has been given to l:!he effect that the freights of refrigerated produce have, been fixed by the Imperial fiovernmenl, but that all produce in store on iMay 3:1 will be carried at tlie old rates.]

Butter. Choose. 1895 ...... 203,241 vG 160,323 1000 093,701 208,253 J 005 1,514,136 180,874 1014 2,140,010 2,105,2.'S 1015 2,200,473 2,387,82,S