Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1895. MILK AND BUTTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4982, 22 March 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1895. MILK AND BUTTER.

A FoUTXiGHT ago, we advised tho dairymen to expect a reduction in the price of milk, nnd gave onr reasons for same. The low price ruling for tlie manufactured article, is bound to be reflected in the price of the raw material •> butter this season lias not . sold up to the rates of last year, consequently tlie prices paid to milk suppliers during the season 1893-94, could not be maintained in tho season 1891-95, and the factories making no deductions to correspond with the lessened income from manufacturing, stand to lose. That we have beon right in advising 'our dairy farmers to expect a smaller price for milk sold to butter factories, is sufficiently borne out by the announcement made by Messrs Reynolds <fc Co., the great factory proprietors of the' Waikato, whose payment to milkj suppliers during the season amounted to £30,000. Messrs Reynolds 4 Co., have notified their suppliers of a reduction of a farthing a gallon, and all the other factory proprietors must toe the mark accordingly. We are not so sure, that even with tho reduction f mouueed, that bedrock has been reached j a further drop appears to us inevitable. The keen competition, and the enormous output, together with other influences at work, will undoubtedly tend to further lower the price of butter, and the next season's prices will not average more than 8d per lb. The prospects of the Colonial butter trade are clearly outlined by the London correspondent of The Age, who says"Tho Australian butter "trade is threatened with a largely " increased output during the next "season alike from Denmark, Holland and Sweden, The Lonal " Separator Company, of Stockholm, " is now turning out weekly over "200 separators both power and " hand, The hand ones are capable " of dealing with 75 gallons per hour " and the power opes 400 gallons per " hour. If on an average each separ- " ator treats 300 galkp per day, \ye '•'may reasonably assume fhatas a minimum }QOlb. of tutjte).* is pro r "duced, or 36,4001b. per annum, if,

" however, this is multiplied by 200, "we will find a net production of > "over 169,000 tons per annum, 1 "These are the practical questions "wliioh Australasian producers will 1 "have sooner or later to face; and 1 " there can be very little doubt that "if any extensive business is to be 1 "done in the future Colonial pro- ' " ducers must be prepared to accept "reduced prices, At the present 1 "moment the Danes are fighting j " strenuously to regain the position " tlioy bavo lost, and in ordor to do' "so are prepared to take almost any . "price. The future of the Australian ' " trade may be summarised in a few "words. Lower prices must be ox- " oxpected, The butter must be of " more uniform character and better "graded, and if producers will " loyally abide by and accept these "conditions, tlio Australians can "command the major portion of " England's consumption." " Lower prices must be expected" that is the warning note of the writer quoted and milk suppliers and factory proprietors will do well to heed the warning. It is not by any means a pleasant prospect, but we see no occasion to be disheartened ; oven at 8d per lb there is money in butter, but the foundation of the industry must rest on a scientific basis. The dairymen will lind a remedy for low prices by carefully watching their cows, granting grazing ground to the best milkers only ami passing over to the hatcher the inferior animals. Our dairy cattle require to be selected with extreme care and special regard to quality and quantity, of the milk supply. The milk tester must be more in evidence if success is to be attained in this direction. In Victoria the dairymen are urging the Government to appoint an inspector to inspect the herds and advise farmers as to tlio ways and means of improving their milking stock, freight and other expenses must be ! lowered in sympathy with the re- . duced price; the freight charge of fd per lb is excessive and concerted action should be taken to have it reduced to a half-penny per lb. In most of the Australian colonies the butter exporters receive bonuses ac- , cording to results and the respective Governments are doing their utmost to foster the dairy industry. New Zealand is without the monetary assistance, and Government aid is reni dered in a half-hearted and spasmodic manner, we therefore staud to lose ground as compared with our neighbours unless those directly interested in the business take such steps as will keep them abreast of the times,