THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 January 1920, Page 8

THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

ENTERPRISING AMERICANS. NEW ZEALAND HAS A GREAT FUTURE. "Yes, we had a very pleasant trip and without exception the people we met could not do enough for us," declared Mr. R 'ioyle, the manager of the Eltham Dairy Company, to an Argus representative who was questioning him regarding his recent trip to England and America with Mr H. D. Forsyth. "Travelling, however, was only done tinder difficulties," he continued. "I only spent a few days in England, and the one other European country which Mr. Forsyth was able to visit was Holland. It was not possible to get to Denmark. The same difficulty was met with in America. There were strikes everywhere. The Government had taken over control of the railways and were running one train where the proprietary companies had previously been dispatching six or more. The times could only be described as abnormal, and this hindered us somewhat and pi-evented us getting around and seeeing and learning quite as much as wo otherwise might have done. However, we spent some very instructive days in Canada and America. The dairying industry in Canada is run on very similar lines to that of the U.S.A., but the Americans have adopted much more up-to-date and progressive methods." "What is your opinion of the dairying industry as it is rim in New Zealand as compared with American asked the reporter.

"Aa far as the manufacture of butter and cheese is concerned," responded Mr. Boyle, "I don't thi»k that New Zealand has anything to learn from any country in the world." "But aren't the Americans ahead of New Zealand in some respects; such as the permanent employment—by the factories—of analytical chemists?"

"Yes," replied Mr Boyle, "that is one respect in which they have, realised the necessities of the industry, and have profited by it. Every factory «f any standing—whether engaged in the manufacture of butter, cheese evaporated milk or milk powder—employs permanently an analytical chemist. In that respect New Zealand is miles behind the times. In other branches of the business it is very noticeable that every wan looks after one particular department or get of books, and is absolutely ignorant concerning those of sther departments. Every man specialises in the one thing," Questioned concerning the production of the dairying industry in the States, Mr. Boyle said the production of butter and cheese showed very little fluctuation during the past four years, but the manufacture of both evaporated milk and milk powder had increased. In the manufacture of these two commodities the Americans led the world. He helieved that this was chiefly attributable to the fact that money wus "no object" when they determined'to "try out" anything. The production of condensed and evaporated milk in the States in the year 1914 was 875.50",4381b5.. the output' of 250 factories, while in 1918 the production had increased to 1.fi7:>,477,3601b5.. from 401 factories. In both instances the figures had been practically doubled in the period under review. The production of milk powder had also increased between the years 1914 and WIS from 20.987,01 libs, to 29.f>5r.,3411b5.

"One thing that, would surprise you,'' added Mr. Boyle, "is the enormous consumption of ice cream at breakfast luncheon and dinner, and then again at supper-time. But' it is not ice cream such afi is made in this country. It, has a food value—often containing 3."> per cent, of solids. In the States close upon three thousand factories are now engaged in the manufacture of ice cream, the output of which was lo,OOQ,«O0 gallons in 1908, and was over 195,000,000 [.'Bllons in 1918. Further, this enormous consumption of ice cream is not confined to the summer months. It k eaten in winter and summer alike." - Butter in New York was worth 7"2 cents—about 3s—per lb. wholesale, said Mr. Boyle. There is, he declared, a great opportunity before the whole of those engaged in the dairying business in America. The Americans themselves admit that up to the present they were only playing with the business. But. he added, dairy farming is a much more tedious and trying business in America than in New Zealand—particularly Taranaki. In both Canada and the States the cattle arc stall-fed all the year round. In the winter the ground is covered with snow and all food has to be carted to the animals, while in the summer the fly pests are extremely bad. and the animals have to be disinfected \o keep the flies off them.

"And what did yon learn from ynnr trip regarding the prospects for the. dairying industry in New Zealand?" was the journalist's final question. "Well, all I am prepared to say," replied Mr. Boyle, "is that if the dairymen of New Zealand are ready and willing to take the fullest advantage of all the products that fan be obtained from milk the industry has a great future."—Argus.