The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1529, 22 April 1882, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Ot whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press the People's riehfc maintain, Unawcd by influence and unbribed by gain.

SATURDAY, APRIL 22, ISS2.

The promoters and intending shareholders of the "Waikato Cheese and Bacon Factory meet at the Eoyal Hotel, Hamilton, this evening for the purpose of receiving the roport and prospectus which have been prepared by the provisional directors. In this connection it will be appropriate to print the following extract from the Gazette of the 13th inst: — "A bonus of five hundred pounds (£500) will be given for the first 25 tons of butter or the first 50 tons of cheeso (produced in a factory worked on the American principle, and to which factory any farmer, subject to certain conditions, may send his milk), which shall be exported from New Zealand, and sold at such prices in a foreign market as shall show that the articles are of fair quality." So far as we know, the factory proposed to be started in the neighborhood of Hamilton, Avill be the first of its kind in the colony, so that there exists a possibility of the shareholders being able to claim, the bonus -which the Government have very sensibly offered. The cheese, or butter is to be produced in a factory worked on the American principle, and this is the description of factory which the promoters have in view, and to which end they purpose sending a representative to the United States. It is also provided that any farmer may if he choose send his milk to the factory. If lie be content to accept the price offered we imagine the company, or association will readily accept milk from any owner of any dairy. There are, however, other conditions attached which will be more difficult to fulfil than those we have repeated. One of these is contained in the extract printed above, namely that the chee&o, or butter, shall be exported from New Zealand and sold at such prices in a foreign market, as shall show that the articles are of fair quality ; the others arc as follows : — " Notice of intention to claim either of the above bonuses must be given in writing to the the Colonial Secretary not later than the 3 1st December, 1882. The claim must bemado before the 30fch June, 1883." These conditions are by no means easy, indeed they may seem particularly hard, but calm consideration will show that they are necessary. In the first place there can bo no doubt that the colony is suffering from the want of manufactures, and the Government is justified, therefore, in taking such measures as will, in their opinion, the more speedily set these industries afoot. Again, if cheese, as an article of export, is to become of any importance to the colony, it must be of the first quality, or it will not pay to make it at all. The days of hap hazard dairying have gone by; and it is only by the production of the primest produce by the most approved methods, that we can hope to enter into competition with those who at present supply the Home markets. In this connection we would advise our readers to peruse carefully an article on dairy produce from the Otago Witness, which we publish in another column. It will be seen by that how necessary it is that care and diligence should be exercised in the manufacture of the products of the dairy.