SOUTH AFRICAN DAIRYING.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 April 1921, Page 5

SOUTH AFRICAN DAIRYING.

DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY. BUTTER EXPORT COMMENCED. The pioneer of the South African dairying industry, Hon. Joseph Baynes, C.M.G., is at present visiting Auckland in the course of a trip round the world. In an interview, Mr. Baynes who was Minister for Lands and Works for Natal from 1903 to 1904 and now is a member of the South African Legislative Council, stated that he had been associated with the dairying industry in Natal from its early inception. He started the first factory erected there, and had watched the industry grow until now it had assumed fairly large dimensions. The factory established by him in his own district, Nels Rust, originally was a proprietary concern but within recent years it had been amalgamated with several others operated on the principle of co-operation. The farmers were reaping the reward of many years of strenuous work in building up herds and generally developing the enterprise on lbun J'lines. The South African dairy farmers had always entertained particular affection for the New Zealanders and Australians, and had looked upon them more or less as their mentors in the industry. They realised, said Mr. Baynes, that whatever the New Zealand dairymen did they could not do better than follow. South Africa had commenced exporting butter on a small scale but doubtless in time this would be increased.

The milking strains of cows employed were Friesian, Shorthorn, Ayrshire and South Devons. The Friesian was the most favored and brought very high prices. t Mr.\ Baynes stated that for years cattle-raising in South Africa had been a. most heart-breaking pursuit, due in the main to the ravages of the tick, but the establishment of dips had solved the problem.