South Taranaki News

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1926, Page 2

South Taranaki News

(From Our Own Reporter.)

Telephone No. 596.

P.O. Box 133

SCIENCE IN DAIRYING SUCCESS ACHIEVED BY SCIENTIST RECENT TROUBLE AT ARARATA. During part of the 1924 dairying season and especially throughout the 192-5 season, the suppliers to the Ararata dairy factory and the factory staff passed through a very trying period owing to some trouble which persistently affected the cheese, so that minute holds appeared in the produce. In time these small holes increased in size, and as a result the greater proportion of the output was classed as second grade. Despite every precaution taken by the suppliers and the factory staff, no improvement could be brought about, and the company was faced with a serious position. It was realised that the trouble arose from the presence of some obnoxious bacteria in the factory, and all kinds of methods were adopted to eradicate the trouble. In one case it was decided to “burn” the bacteria out, and for this purpose the cooler was sprayed with methylated spirits. This was set alight, but almost resulted in the building being damaged. For about nine days the trouble was absent, but it then recurred. “We were faced with the necessity of building another factory,” said Mr. T. A. Winks to a News representative yesterday, “having no othei- option.”' At this stage, however, the services of the then newly-appointed dairy scientist at Hawera, Mr. P. 0. Veale, were commissioned, nnd after he had made investigations and his suggestions were carried out the long-standing trouble was at last eradicated. NO RECURRENCE OF TROUBLE. Considerable interest has been evinced in the matter, and suppliers have been keenly interested as to whether the trouble would recur this season. Mr. Winks stated this morning, however, that there was not the slightest evidence of the affection this season. He pointed out that whereas a large proportion of the output last year was classed as second grade as a direct result of this bacterial infection, this season to date there had been no second grade cheese. Forty per cent, of the output had been graded superfine and the remainder first grade. A pasteuriser had been installed in the factory some time before the occurrence of the trouble. Mr. Winks was of opinion that the overcoming of the trouble was due directly to the efforts of the scientist. Interviewed on the question, Mr. Veale said the trouble was that the factory used to get very abnormal fermentations in the cheese. Big. holes appeared in the cheese as a result of a bacterial infection of the milk. The trouble first occurred part way through the 1924 season, and it was not always evident when the eheese was graded, but on several occasions photographs were received from England showing large holes in the Ararata eheese. These were fermentation hples with a glazed interior and the grading staff at Patea tended to grade Ararata cheese fairly severely. Prior to Mr. Veale’s taking charge of the Federation of Taranaki Dairy Factories’ laboratory, curd tests had been taken at the factory, and all that was normally possible was tried without relief. PROCEDURE OF SCIENTIST. Early in the 1925 season the trouble broke out afresh, and was reported from the Patea grading stores. The cause was not in the milk itself, and did not appear in the cheese up to the time it was dispatched to the grading stores. On the first signs of infection last season, the manager, Mr. Foy, sent some “plugs” of the affected cheese to Air. Veale, who made some cultures of the holes and affected portions and was thus able to recognise, microscopically and culturally, the bacteria responsible for the trouble. Mr. Veale followed this up at the factory itself, and acted upon the information already obtained that the suppliers were? not responsible for the ■trouble and that the milk was arriving at the factory in a fairly satisfactory condition. The next step was to take samples and expose specially prepared plates to determine the source of the infection. As a result of these tests it was shown that the infection was present in the factory itself. The main seat of the infection was found to be the cooler of the pasteuriser which, although perfectly clean to the eye, was found to be harbouring on its surface the bacteria responsible for the trouble in the cheese. Disinfection of the cooler was immediately put into operation, but after a few days its condition was found to be as before. WHEY TANKS TOO NEAR FACTORY Further tests indicated the fact that the ultimate source of the bacteria was an insanitary condition immediately outside the factory caused by the proximity of the whey tanks to the factory. Owing to long years of leakage and spilling from the whey tanks, the ground in the immediate vicinity was thoroughly saturated with whey, -and had become a breeding ground for the bacteria, which had attacked the cheese. Despite frequent applications of lime and other disinfectants, the bacteria continued to flourish and were, apparently. being conveyed through an open window and drain into the factory, and especially onto the cooler of the pasteuriser, which was situated immediately inside. In spite of every endeavour to eliminate the infection, this breeding ground acted as a continual replenishing store and made it impossible for the manager to do anything more than keep the trouble at bay. Regular sterilisation of the cooler was maintained, even burning of methylated spirit being resorted to. REMOVAL OF WHEY TANKS. During last winter new whey tanks were installed on the advice of the scientist. and were removed to a proper distance from the factory. The putrefied area of earth and concrete was dug up and removed. It was then discovered that the foulness and generally infected area had penetrated several feet into the soil, even beneath those places where concrete had been laid.

After the removal of the offending deposits and disinfection of the site, the whole area was re-concreted and at the same time other improvements in con- > nection with drainage and the arrangement of the pasteurising- apparatus were ■ put into effect. The efficacy of this proj cedure is clearly seen by the results secured by the Ararata factory to date this season, and the success achieved is another instance of the value of the laboratory to the dairying industry generally. EGMONT SHOW POINTS PRIZES. CATTLE, SHEEP AND PIG CLASSES. (Following are the points prizes won at the Egmont A. and P. .Show in the cattle, sheep and pig classes:— New Zealand Friesian Association’s gold medal for most points in Friesian classes. —J. E. O’Shea (Ohangai) (11 points 1, H. E. Johnson (Tokaora) 51 points 2. Ward Cup for most points in pedigree Jersey classes. —R. L. Horn (Ohau) 3'2 points 1, H. Stonex (Bell Block) 24 points 2. Tonks Perpetual Memorial Challenge Cup for most points in fat sheep, and fat lamb classes. —A. A. Verry (Waitotara) 58 points 1, R. Farley (Westmere) 54 points 2. Tamworth Breewers’ Cup for most points in pedigree Tamworth section.—• F. Ogle (Normanby) 24 points 1, H. B. Benton (Auroa) 20 points 2. Berkshire Breeders’ Cup, for most points in pedigree Berkshire classes at the Egmont, Stratford and New Plymouth shows.—-Mr. D. Stewart (Normanby) is leading. VALUE OF PASTEURISATION. The advisability of installing pasteurisers in dairy factories and of pasteurising cheese has drawn forth a great deal of conflicting opinion but of late there have been interesting instances of a material improvement in the grading figures of produce since the installation of pasteurisers in the case of many Taranaki factories. A good example of this is provided by the Fraser Road branch of the Hawera Dairy Company. Last year this branch was one of the lowest in grade of the Hawera company’s branches, but since the, installation of a pasteuriser the position has materially improved this season and to date 80 per cent, of the cheese has graded as superfine, and the remaining 20 per cent, as first grade. There has been no second-grade cheese, whatever, since pasteurisation has been adopted. BEGGING IN THE STREETS. At the Hawera Court yesterday morning John Stewart, alias Alexander MeDonald, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on a charge of being a rogue and a vagabond in that, having previously been convicted of being an idle and disorderly person, he did beg for alms on Tuesday last. The accused admitted his guilt. Sergeant J. Henry stated that on Tuesday morning the accused approached Mr. ’ Nelson, manager of the Para Rubber Company, and asked for the loan of a shilling, but this was refused. Later in the day he again saw Mr. Nelson and abused him, using most offensive language before two ladies. The accused was a stranger in the district. He was a seafaring man who had apparently been away from the sea for some time. In March of last year' he was at Lyttelton sentenced to two months’ imprisonment on a charge of theft, in June of this year at New Plymouth to two terms of 14 days on charges of assault and using obscene language, and at Stratford, at the end of July, to three months’ imprisonment on charges of being an idle and disorderly person. He made a practice of going into shops and asking for money and when refused became most abusive. The day following the offence for which he was charged, he had called at the house of a resident of Wailti Road and had asked for a meal. Little else was known about him. He had stated that he had intended to start work weeding crops with the natives yesterday. ON THE BOWLING GREEN. The following rinks will participate in the South Taranaki shield competitions to-morrow when the Hawera B (Saturday players) will meet Hawera A (Wednesday players) on the Hawera green: Hawera A.—Champion, Arthur, Wills, Robertson (s); T. Tait, Keys, R. Tait, Corkill (s); Herbert, Tidswell, Linkhorn, Robb (s); Anderson, .Saunders, Westaway, Brandon Haughton («); emergencies, J. Tait, Goodchap, Payne. Hawera B,—- McDonald, Familton, Shaw, Foy (a); F. Old, J. Syme, J. Winks, Hicks (s); Maslin, Hobbs, Morpeth. Bull (s); Joll. E. Dillon, Potter, M. J. Squire (s): emergencies, E. J. Squire, Barrow, Johnson.. PERSONAL ITEMS. •Mr. A. J. Ching, clerk of the Magistrate’s Court at Hawera, returned from Wellington by the mail train on Saturday evening. Mr. C. C. Whittington, the ex-Tara. naki representative wing three-quarter, who was for many years a member of the Hawera railway staff and has- latterly been relieving in the Auckland and Taranaki districts, is resigning from the railway service. It is understood that .Mr. Whittington intends leaving early in January for England, where ho has accepted a lucrative commercial position. At present Mr. Whittington is relieving at Stratford. Mr. A. Henderson, formerly chief clerk at the Hawera railway station, and now on the relieving staff in the Auckland district, is on a holiday visit to Hawera.