CHEESE AND BUTTER FACTORIES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1176, 10 May 1884, Page 3

CHEESE AND BUTTER FACTORIES.

On Tuesday at Auckland a large number of gentlemen interested in the cheese aud butter industries were present at the Chamber of Commerce for the purpose of inspecting samples of cheese brought by Mr Bowron, inspector of Cheese Factories from T.; Awamutu, Pateranga, Rukuhia, Pukekohe, Tanranga, and Bay of Plenty. Mr J, C. Firth occupied the chair, and in a fewTutroductoiy remarks referred to the importance of the cheese industry. There were, he said, twenty-one cheese factories in the colony; sixteen of which were in the North Island. Those present had tested samples of chese from the Waikato factories, and so far as he could learn, were very well satisfied with its quality. The difficulty experienced by cheere companies was that they had not yet found the best means of disposing of their cheese, and on this point he invited Mr Bowron, to speak. Mr Bowron said that cheese from Ashburton had sold in London at from 56s to 70s per cwt. Another thirty tons had been sent, and he ventured to say it would realise about 74s per cwt. Mr Bowron then went on to explain that in London large cheese of about 801bs each would bring about £lO per ton more than smaller sizes. Next year twenty factories would be in opera : tion there, and each would be able to manufacture fifty tons cheese. If the product, 1000 tons, were sold in London, say, at 84s per cwt:, they could see the amount of money it would bring to the colony. He was of opinion that there should be one factory for Cheddar and Double Gloucester cheese, and all young persons engaged in the business should take certificates .of competency there. He was also convinced butter factories would be a success in the colony. Mr Firth said he would put it strongly before the Directors of the New Zealand Shipping Company and Shaw, Savill and 00. whether it would not be a much better policy for them take cheese in considerable quantities in the cooling chambers of their ships at per lb, for the present rate of freight was simply prohibitive. The cost of delivering cheese in London at present, viz., 2id per lb, was more than the industry could stand.