MANUFACTURE OF CASEIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1916, Page 3

MANUFACTURE OF CASEIN.

DISCUSSION AT MAKETAWAV (.0 OPERATION FA YOKED. A special meeting Oi shareholders of the Makctaxva Dairy Co. was held at Miiketawa on Thursday evening 1 to conMder the advisability of casein. Tliere was a good attendance of shareholders, and, in the absence of A{r. ■I Brown, chairman of directors, Mr. Kilpatrick was elected to the chair. The meeting had been primarily called on account of a letter received from Mr. Creville. proprietor and editor of the Dairyman, who was present at the meeting and addressed the shareholders. Some twelve months ago, he said, a representative of the I nion Casein Company, of Philadelphia, came to New Zealand to spy out the iand to see if there was any prospect of establishing factories in New Zealand, and the speaker, being anxious to help the dairy companies if there were anything in casein, got into touch with Mr. Isaacs, the gentleman in question, who, with the usual American rush, o:iiy .spent a week in New Zealand, and the four plants he brought with him were still in store. Through the columns of the Dairyman he made known the information lie had gathered, and received several enquiries. Struck by the difference between the prices of butter and cheese, he had written the company asking if they were still prepared to do business, ami, in reply, lie had received a cable message on August 30 offering to pay Is for every 'loollm of skim milk at the factory for the purpose of making casein. The contract oll'ered was for one year, with a further continuation according to circumstances. They would erect the plant and premises beside the factory, pay for the skim milk once a month, on a date to be selected by the suppliers. This offer had been made to about half-a-dozen dairy companies. There were abont 31bs of casein to each lflOlbs of milk, and the prices now offered would mean an additional 3d for butter-fat. The whey would be returned to the suppliers. This cable he had embodied in a letter to Mr. Brown. If tiie suppliers accepted the offer, he would cable their acceptance. He emphasised the fact, however, that he was not flying a kite for the Casein Company. iSincs that offer had been received casein had gone up in price, and he was not working in the company's interests, but in the interests of the dairy farmer of New Zealand.

This, he considered, was not the time for factories to go in for casein. He strongly advocated the manufacture of cheese, which -was never so dear. He did not know their views on the question of cheese, but lie pointed out.that in the interests of the industry he had addressed several companies, including Eltham, on the cheese question, as lie was always anxious to help the farmer to, improve his position, llaketawa, which manufactured nutter, had paid out la.Sd, and the record price for a butter factory was IC-y,d. The casein proposal would mean an additional 3d per lb, but against this cheese was at ami up to 9%d, and would mean an additional fid. Maketawa factory, he understood, had been erected for the purpose of manufacturing either cheese or butter, and they should make cheese. If they had arranged to dispose of their butter the people handling the-ontput would be just as well satisfied with cheese, which was urgently required. Indeed, the English dairy papers were all beseeching farmers to leave off making butter and manufacture cheese, which was wanted for food, and to encourage this the county councils were sending their dairy instructors to instruct the farmers of Cornwall how to make cheese. However, if they would not manufacture cheese they should take up the manufacture of casein. They had the necessary building and could instal the vats necessary to deal with their output at a cost of .-6100.

He read a brief report of the discussion on casein at the Midhirst Dairy Co.'? meeting, in which it was stated tliat the loss to the company through not installing easein plants was £'24,(M)O. He questioned the statement that the cost of installing the necessary plant for green casein at the Midhirst creameries would be £2OOO and a drying plant £3OOO. Anyhow, it was a verv liberal estimate. He pointed out that very little plant was required for ;he green curd beyond totara vats. There were three recognised ways of manufacturing easein, viz., (1) by rennet and (2) by aeid, but he did not want to go into this aspect. He wished to lie frank with them, and impress on them that though the offer meant 3d per lb butter-fat the casein was now worth more. There was also a scheme on'foot to acquire the Wanganui Company's casein plant and establish it as a co-operative concern. He thought casein could be precipitated as cheaply at Maketawa as anywhere, because they had the room and the necessary steam, and he -would strongly advise them to make casein if they would not make cheese. Boiled down, his proposals would be-. First, make cheese; second, put 'n necessary vats and make the green casein, which could be sent to the Wanganui Company to be dried until the proposals in train to run that as a co-operative concern were carried out, and because be knew that the feelings of the Taranaki farmer were all in favor of co-oper-ation, as they did not favor the middle man, and neither did the speaker; thirdly, accept the offer of the Union Casein Co. Mr. T, Wheeler said that millions of men were now eating cheese in the trenches that, never ate it before. ill'. Pereival stated that the directors had gathered from the letter that Sir. OreviUe was working in the interests of the 'Union. C'ascin Company, and had sonic further proposals to make in connection with what the company were prepared to do. For instance, would the i > :i.-.ein Company put in the necessary ivhey tanks, or at what stage would they hand the whey hack ? Another supplier wished to know if they would have to put their hands into their pockets. Mr. (iieville reiterated that he was not working in the interests of the Union Casein Company, if the oiler was accepted he would cable :t. He understood that all the plant and labor would be provided by the Casein Company. Mr. Dombro'ski asked if there was any chance of securing more than 3d. The .majority would be prepared to take the. offer so long as the Maketawa Company were put to no expense. In reply to further questions, Mr. (ireville said that the Union Company had the necessary plant in Xew Zealand, but it would take a month to get the expert out. A start should be made within two months from cabling acceptance. Vats could also be installed at the creamery. .

for the manufacture of cheese. The chairman and the then manager (Mr. 0. •lohnson) had made exhaustive enquiries, and estimated that it would cost £I7(K) to make the change, and the proposal had been "outed in one act." He anderstood that Mr. Oreville favored them manufacturing green casein until the establishment of the. co-operative works ■Mr. (Irevillc: Yes. " In further discussion, it was poinLed out that those who supplied honic-:-ep-arated cream would not benefit. The oiler could be considered as a definite one. Mr. Dombroski moved that the company accept Is per 10Mb skim milk clear of labor and cost of erecting plant. Mr. Marshall seconded. The chairman considered that it would be advisable to ascertain what Wanganui was prepared to do. The resolution was withdrawn and on the motion of Messrs. -J. R. Simpson and Domhroski, it was resolved that Mr. (Ireville be thanked for his address and that this meeting of shareholders is in favor of the manufacture of casein, provided that it is on a co-operative basis. It was also resolved, ,m the motion of Messrs. Marshall and Young, that if the directors can make arrangements for the manufacture of casein on a co-operativv: basis in a manner acceptable to them, i they be authorised to proceed with the installation of the necessary plant and j building.