THE ASHBURTON DAIRY FACTORY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1025, 2 November 1882, Page 3

THE ASHBURTON DAIRY FACTORY.

The opening of the above factory has been doubly celebrated. On the 27th there was a great dinner, at which there was a large attendance. In the course of a speech, Mr John Orr, the Chairman of Directors, said that the Factory was a credit to the country, and that the cost of erection, including machinery ef the very best kind that could be procured for money, did not exceed £2OOO. The toast of the General Assembly, coupled with the names of Messrs Wright and Ivess ; The County and Borough Councils; The Longbeach Road Board; and The Ashburton Butter and Cheese Factory, were duly honored, the latter oupled with the name of the Chairman of Directors, Mr John Oh. Mr Wright, M.H.R., in proposing this toast, said he believed that the facilities provided by the refrigerating process would be an incalculable boon to the country, and that the factory would be a great success. ‘ The health of Mr Bowron, the English gentleman to whose lectures was due the starting of the Factory, was drunk enthusiastically, and in , response he said he had made a very large fortune out of cheese, and had lost a large one, but still there was some left. He was surprised to find when he came to New Zealand that cheese was being sold at 2d and 3d per lb, and was not really worth that amount, simply through bad management in its making. He went into a dairy and examined a quantity of cheese, and found only one good in five. This was considered a good dairy, too. He thought if they could only get one good cheese, it was not the fault of the milk but the making. He then determined to give a lecture in Christchurch on cheese and batter making, and he supposed that it was owing to the report being published in the papers that he had been asked to come down to Ashburton and lecture. He had no hesitation in saying that this was the finest country in the world for cheese making. He had travelled through America, the Continent, and England, and no island or country could compare with New Zealand for dairy produce. This had led him to advocate a Cheese Factory, and he supposed the good people of Ashburton had the sense to ask him to lecture on it. (Laughter.) The advice to the farmers bad literally been crammed down their throats. (Laughter.) He had willingly done what ha could for them, and he could say with all pride that they had the best Factory and machinery in the whole world. (Cheers.) The credit was due to the gentlemen who formed the directorate. He bad travelled thousands of miles in order to secure the latest and most improved machinery, and this Factory had got the benefit of it. (Hoar, hear.) The question as to its paying was an important one, but as cheese-making had been lifted out of the region of failure, owing to repeated trials, the unanimous verdict was that there was nothing like cheese. (Laughter.) He felt that in a short time every blade of grass would be turned into pure gold. (Cheers.) The company were making milk cans which would be found to keep out the rain. This had been found necessary because too much rain water had frequently been f ound in the milk delivered at the factories at Home. (Laughter.) The farmers —and he knew a great deal about farmers—could not expect them to make cheese out of water. (Laughter ) It was found to be an absolute necessity to keep a little ‘detective’ in the factory, which kept a sharp look out for watered milk. (Loud laughter.) He thought there was a great deal in a name* and that this being the christening day of the Factory he would recommend it to be called the ‘Crown’ Factory. He knew a continental factory named the ‘Crown’ in the London markets, and the Crown brand was always run after, because it was good. Ho would like the cheese of this Factory to be run after in an equal manner, as it would pay to have a good name. Perhaps some day they would send a cheese to the Queen ; and then it would get into the papers in England and elsewhere. It* title of ‘Crown’ cheese would be completed. (Laughter.) He was sure the manager and bis assistant were qualified to turn out good cheese, and would leave their first balance-sheet to they were equal to what he had stated. (Cheers). The * Agricultral Interests’ coupled with the name of Mr John Grigg,‘The Banking Interests,’ coupled with the names of the local tankers, ‘ the Bench and the Bar,’ coupled with the names of the local J.P’s and lawyers, ‘The Secretary the Architect and theManager,’ of the factory were duly honored. Mr Harding said he was surprised with tha very

liberal manner in which the directors bad treated him since his arrival, and the ultimate success of the Factory rested entirely, with himself and assistants. He would impress upon them that the most necessary thing was the quality of the milk, delivered clean and and prompt. He had never ssea any cheese made late in the day, to be a euccesa, but he believed that the cheese made to-day would be very good, and bo could not understand it. (Laughter.) The health of the Press was abo drank, in fact, no one was forgotten, and the moat extravagant praixe of each otner was indulged in. We hare on previous occasions pointed out that the great secret of the unanimity which exists amongst Ashburton people consists in the way they praise each other at these reunions. There every one get recognition for hia services; no one is snubbed, and unanimity is the result. Monday the 30th of October was observed as another gala day. Sports were held on the grounds of the factory and, according to th e Ashburton Guardian, tho settlers from all part’s of the county flocked to the sports. At two oclock there was a gathering of settlers such as was never seen in the district before. Punctually at 2 p.m. the ringing of a large bell announced the commencement of the sports, which were got up especially to amuse tho visitors during their stay. The Factory was opened at one o’clock, and a very large number of people were eager to witness the working of the Factory, and the services of tho manager, Mr Harding, and his assistant) Mr Thorn, as well as those of Mr Bewron and the Secretary, Mr Poyntz, were fully occupied in explaining the details of the machinery and appliances until a late hour. A long programme of sports was gone through. There was anothor dinner at four o’clock, at which 200 persons were present, and the usual amount of toast drinking and speechmaking took place. A very well attended ball was held in the evening in the school and everything passed off most successfully.