THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1912. PAYMENT FOR MILK.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 14 December 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1912. PAYMENT FOR MILK.

For almost two decades the payment for milk at cheese and butter factories in New Zealand has been based on butter-fat determinations as ma-do by the Babcock toyfc. The system has, speaking generally, proved satisfactory at butter-fac-tories, and fairly at cheese-factories. It haig been generally recognised, that payment for fat only in cheese-mak-ing did not allocate the returns in direct proportion to the quantity of the cheese produced from milks of vairying constituents, as is the caso when using the same .system of payment in butter-making. The introduction of the Hart casein test has revived the feeling that the payment for cheese milk on fat alone does not give the various suppliers absolute justice. This feeling appeared to be stronger at one of the North Island cheese-factories than it; the others; and to assist the directorate of this company to allay a certain aimotint of discontent amongst tho suppliers, as well as to get some figures which would serve as a guide regarding this question, it was arranged that one of the Instructors of the Dairy Division should make a test for casein by the Hart method throughout .tho season simultaneously with the factory-manager's test for butter-fat. Payment has 'been made by this company on the basis of fat plus casein throughout the past -season, giving tho pounds of fat and oasein supplied, and also indicating the difference in each individual supplier's payments caused by the adoption of this new system. This work should give some concrete evidence of the effect of the new 'system under practical conditions. The AgriCultural Department is to be commended for having taken this matter up. With the present high iprieo of land, it is essential that tlio farmer should receive the very last penny for his produce. The Department is doing useful work in assisting the farmer in this and otTior directions.