DAIRYING IN THE 90's.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 January 1919, Page 7

DAIRYING IN THE 90's.

AND NOW. CARDIFF'S NEW FACTORS. In these days of smiling homesteads;, good roads, tuid rich pastures, the new' arrivals may be pardoned for believing that these conditions have prevailed for iuany years. That is not fco, and there are plenty of farmers in oiir midst who have seen the virgin bush yield to clover pastures and the days of gatljeriny fungus and kumi kirmi, now when tar-sealed roads run past the property that could only be wheii they first knew it by the sumyor's pegs. Dairying has been the means of bringing this about, and the various factories have cither increased their capacity or allowed others to come in and share the work of making a marketable article for Home and foreign consumption. Amongst the factories that have been closely identified with the progress of Taraiiaki is the Cardiff Company's. There are some who believe it is the first to make cheese, but whether correct or not, it is thirty years or so since butter was made by the settlers there. Ip those days almost aiiy old shed or whare would do. Things have greatly changed, and Cardiff; now possesses a complete, commodious factory.

■Recently a News' reporter was invited to inspect the new premises, but before I doing eo he had a few minutes' conversation with Mr J. Richards, chairman j during tho past twenty years, and still going strong, and Mr L. Harry Pcnn, who first took up the duties as secretary in 1894, so he should shortly celebrate his ''silver wedding" with tlie firm. Both were ready for any questions. One gleaned that the land where the new factory now stands was sold by the Government at £1 per acre on the deferred payment system, and half was purchased by Mr J. Smith, and the other portion by the present chairman. "In thoso days we generally had lively, times and on one occasion had three aliairmen," remarked 'Mr Richard. "The bank wanted us to sign a joint ajid several. but we fought shy of this, and then the bank was satisfied with a guarantee of £4O each (nine directors). We weren't worth much in those days. The land generally was all bush clad. Where we could find a clearing we had a few cows and took the butter into Stratford. Money was scarce then, and we had to take wliat we could get. ' Butter at 44 per lb was a fair average, but the buyer fixed the prices, Dissatisfied with this treatment we then formed a company, churning the butter at home and then when in a granulated form took it to a little room 12 x 10, ana there it was all mixed up and w> sold it to the men who came round. • You had buyers then?

"Yes, the "late Mr Mynott, Wow Plymouth, and Auckland buyers visited our little concern, and wo were soon selling up to Is per lb. There must be a big difference then and now?

"Probably the pay-out then was 3ld gallon, perhaps less." The secretary produced the books and for the 1892-93 season, showed they paid 3d gallon. He could not say whether they received a bonus but the aggregate amount for tho season was £•2749 17s 4d_

Tt is not usual co give the press details of monthly milk cheques, but what is the approximate amount for the present season?

Mr fenn secured Knottier book. The average is IOJd per gallon, and the total pay-out m the neighborhood of £'25,000. r and hj i gone up considerably in price?

"Yea,' replieii 'Mr liichards. '"'when Mr Mynott was buying butter probably we paid £5 an acre and since then clearing, stumping, fertilising, and a better class of stock have sent the value of land up considerably Although the milk yield has increased enormously the number of suppliers is probably not much larger? "Well, we had probably 20 suppliers 31 years ago, and to-day the number would be about 40- Where we had only a few cows then now we have fairly large herds and good milkers-" And your first chairman?

"Mr P F. Ralfe, I believe, the first chairman, then we had J. Watkins, K Walters, T. Belcher, G. Marchant, and then J followed, and just completed 20 years of service." Probably £3OO would cover the whole of the plant and buildof 27 years ago. and as to the new building and plant, well, come out and see it."

Mr .T. 1"). licaley. architect for the building, then motored the writer out to the new factory and as one approach- j ed the building it was easily apparent that the directors had not stayed their hands in erecting premises that must sorely be the last word in factories. The building, which is of reinforced concrete, ha? a frontage of 110 feet with a depth of Uo feet. The timber used 13 of Oregon pine, and the roof corrugated iron, sarked and feited. Concreted dilains run right roijnd the building. Stepping off the county road to the company's concrete road, the first room entered was the making-room with 8 vata, with room for 3 more vats if necessary, and provision ia also made for a pasteurisation plant- There are two receiving stands, so suppliers are not kept waiting any length of time Thia is a well-lighted room; indeed the building is well-lighted anywhere, a feature of the structure. The floor space is 63 x 57 feet To the right of this is the testing room, 12 x 9, where the expert who analyses the milk can work m comfort and undisturbed. At the rear of the making room is the. butter-room, 42 x 40 feet. The whey from the milk, used for cheese la conveyed by tiled drains to the tiled tank, a well capable of holding 3000 gallons. On the right, parallel, is the insulator butter chamber 14 x 10, salt room 14 x 8, wash-up 14 x 12, and starter room 14 x 10, Crossing over to the left is the curing room, 56 x 30. It was a warm bright morning outside, but in this room the temperature was too low to be pleasant. It was ideal for the purpose of storing "heose. an 3 the long rows of six shelves can accommodate 3000 cheese, but this is not to store cheese, rather to make provision for the years to comeor another war. At anyrate. the directors don't desire to have SOOO on the shelves, but if the unexpected happened, the space is there, and the insulated ceiling should assist in keeping the cheese an indefinite period In the rear of this is the packing Toom, where tlie matured cheese is battened up in pairs and passed out to the loading station. The minimum of labor is apparent, as the platform is level with a dray or lorry, and no hoisting is necessary, whilst a hard concrete road prevents any possibility of being stuck in the mud. The coal house is -25 x 20, and the boiler room 25 x 17. The steam boiler is 40 h.p. with 140 lbs »r«Hur» In the engine is ft BWjj_et*

running oil engine and a freezer, the dimensions of the room being 23 x 21. Next is a bathroom and shower, 12 x 8. The directors evidently bejieve in making the staff comfortable, and here, at the close of the dfty they can freshen and clean up <with the minimum .of trouble.

Naturally water is a, big factor in factory work and there is no need to carry it there (as some unkind critics say i» done). Water ltows from a well situated in the factory for butter, whilst a ram is working in the river, and there is a 0000 gallon tank. Although the farmer takes full cans to the factory It must not be inferred 1»' yoes back empty (1 meai» the'cans) a;.;i if they rattle a hit they nevertheless ■ 'ld something—whey. i am not quite sure it is whey, as the constituents of the mill; after the qualities required to make cheese have been removed, is further treated and frora this we get our whey butter, and then what remains—it may be sugar-of-milk or discolored water—is taken back to the farms. They say pigs thrive on this, wij;h a little coaxing and other feed, but tills article does not treat on how to feed a pig.

Frqnj the whey butter room the residue is carried by gravitation to the wliey tanks, and there the farmer of to-morrow removes the remains .of today's milk. After receiving 'liia wlieywater, whey-buttermilk, or cheesemilk, the farmer can then secure scalding water to carry back to the farm or clean his cans at the stand. He cau make his own choice in the matter. Viewed from the roadway the factory creates a fine impression, and it is a pity it is not nearer the main roa4s of travel. A suspended verandah runs the whole width of tho frontage, and its width is 14 feet, and faces the east, so the man and horse are protected from the cold mountain rains and blasts. The building, instead of showing the customary gable ends to tho road, is finished with a. parapet. On the face is the well-known triangle with the three Os (Cardiff's trade-mark), and below Cardiff Dairy "Company, set in ft panel of rough cast. Plans, specifications, etc, were prepared by Mr Hcaley, but after these had been submitted to tenderers the prices were found to be much over the architect's estimate. The directors then decided to carry out the work by day labor, and as foreman Mr Simmonds proved very satisfactory- The old factory was closed on May 20, and oiii June Ist a start made on the new building. Throughout the weather was far from suitable, in fact there were occasions when the men worked in snow, and shovelling concrete in the rain was a common oc-currenoe. Despite this progress was maiutaineed, and by October Ist the building was partially ready to receive milk, the shareholders only being inconvenienced two or three weeks. Mr Donald Cameron, manager, naturally is very pleased with his up-to-the-moment plant and building. With the best milk he. will always maintain the company's high position in competition and also grading stores. He has teen with the company 11 years, and modestly confesses this is his only factory, but he has "made good." In conclusion a tribute is due to Mr W. Richards;, chairman. He has looked ahead, and as a result lia3 built a place that is a distinct credit to the district and an indication that the farmers value the necessity of giving their employees the best if they desire to obtain the best from them. With Mr Richards as directors are Messrs G. W Marchant, -T. T. Belcher, J. W Rogers, J. Stewart, E. Bennett, J- Jones, T. Beiton, sad R. Richardsoc.