OPENING OF THE TE AWAMUTU CHEESE AND BACON FACTORY.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1619, 18 November 1882, Page 2

OPENING OF THE TE AWAMUTU CHEESE AND BACON FACTORY.

Tiik event which haa. been looked forwaivl to for some considerable time past by the settlors of Te 1 'Awamutu anil district, came! to pass 1 on Wednesday 'lSst, when -the first clreese which ha 9 ever been manufactured in. jshe province, probably in the North island, on the factory principle, was made at Te Awamutu. To the people of the Te Awamutu district belongs the -honor of having been among the, firsij in the North Island to undertake by their own individual enterpuse audexertion the .starting of an. industry of tliis kind. Erom tlic day on which the idea of a cheese factory for the district was first veutilated, and the benefits certain to accrue therefrotn demonstrated, the matter lias never pnee been lost sight of, but instead has 'been kept steadily to the front, until at last the exertions of the proieefcora. have been crowneel witlYsifceessf aMU the Te Awamutu Cheese'and-Bacon Facfoiy 'has become an accomplished fact. Indeed, of the many ideas of , co-operation which ,have been veutflatyd of late in Waikato, in this instance alone, if we exclude the Waikato Fellmongery at Ngaruawahia, has snecess been achieved ; for why ? (Because the people have not aimed atj;oo much, and what'they did-,aim at *\as iv a , united spirit, , aud seeing that their .ends were practicable, and were destined to result in good, they never once waveyed,, from theitime the matter ( was set on foot, until their obje,ct had been, accomplished. When the prospectus of 'the company was? first issued,., 4000 shares at ,ijl each were placed in the market, and out of this number 3400 ha\ c.' been taken up, 1.340 being subscribed,in,Auckland. The fact that ,i J605J 6O5 '"was' expended on buildings ajone sjiows^ that the calls when made jwere vall_rea;dyy paid _up_... _The costJof the machinery, winch for the inps.t part hus'been'Tnadtrby'Mi 1 Waite of Auckland, has not yet been ascertained. As \Vednesday was the day upon which all ■ visitors were a large number of settlers from all parts of the Waikato district visited the factory, and availed themselves of, the opportunity of witnessing the ' Waikato premier industry. Much interest was manifested by tile visitors in the working ox the conceui, and all parts of the building, of which we have already published a full description, with the machinery in use, were carefully scrutinised. The milk which had been sent iv during the morning, meastu ing IS4 gallons, was put through the usual process with a good result, there Hleiiigf 180 pounds of curds, and this was divided into seven cheeses pf different sizes.. The highest percentage of et'eilm 1 oh 'Wednesday wfys 13 per cent. (Mr R. Bell's milk), and there, was none below S per cent, which is the minimum or lowest percentage received. The quantity of, nylk sent in oii Thursday was' 294: gallons, • and 500 gallons daily are expected next M-eek. The piesent Avorkiug capabilities of the factory, which of course can be increased, are 800 gallons. "There' are only thrco hands employed, including the manager. 'Thirty seven pigs have already been bought, and are kept in an enclosure about 200, j^uris from/the/facto,ryj from Wlience^thej whey is jcoriveyjecljto/ them along* a wooden spout. These are under the charge of the Pig Committee.

The Inaugural Dinner. In the evening the visitors assembled at the Central Waikato Hotel to celebrate the opening of the new qheese and, bacon factory in a fitting manner. 1 About" forty sat down to an excellent dinner, provided by Host Lewis in his usual good style. The chair was.occupied by Mr Bridgman. The table having been cleared, and the usualloyal'and patriotic .tdas^dißposerl of, the toast of " The Army Navy and Volunteers " was proposed by Mr Bridgman, and suitably responded to by Captain Ruuciman.,,, , , ; , i> ; The'next toast proposed was that of the "Commercial Prosperity of Te Awamutu," coupled with the name of Mr Winstone, Mho, in responding, said, -that though ,not a t speech-uiak,er,, he could not refrain'from making a few' remark#(p,n tl|a| qocasipn^ pp(the,commexcial "prosperity of Tv Awamutn. The subject ,of Kfchei. toast <to.i .wli^ch, lie.yhadi bpeu cilled upon to respond, lie could assure thenTwas no myjbhjcal, thing. It, vjas,a; difficult? ihihg iir hjte lop! imoir\to draw ft'-.e line between the^ioucultiiralaud the comineVJfiiy^Rty^^tßc'^diftnu't, tor .without each'other neither pould get. on.' WmulririisTsix 7 yearfr tfjsicTenWin' the !pla'ce it 1 H^m-dlrel^dt^jier' slowly, mt fddMm\f r v#y 'Purely' 1 -Tli'e^^nt %at?:i#'tWt»Wpt^l« 4* sure. -%' - "%- 'IrJU ]'

coupled with of Mr George Hunter. In doing. so:, he reminded them given him greatey pleasure' than to see that Te Awamutu had been plucky enotfghfojo fliiffce S^V^nJ^ming a useful industry in'Waikato. They had in fact ataffed^liSifl'sf feTfeele factory in the Nortl^lsland. He, vymild „ fak , , tne,m to go with him td the public 'sch'bols'and see theniimber of-chiUireniib'eiQg-.educa-ted, and bronght-up th*>re. Then let them asjk^themgelyes, we,* to.ipid useful and proper occupation for these children when they* grow up ? He would -liklttd seerbefoTtrnHmy-^yenttJ MJJ ore « a woWISn -factory s'faftariHi? the Awamutu district. 1 Itfdeed, if they went about*, such filings., in. future, .with the pllfck'which th c eylmil' v man ( ifestetl 5 in' the past, ft/vva\*rio"t WA'all^im^ftfbable that they would have a woollen factory _ before long-.jTjhe fi9 e .FgY' a P^ *^ c dejtermined spirit which they had displayed' in starting the cheese aM^Bsftion factory, put the ships) in the'sqacle. He would ask them not tolet f tU?d?b\ tffe 1 "only 1 - manufacture in which they would take the lead. • ' ' 4ft'-ffunWsiutiibiy r^sponde'd* I f Mr T. Gresham, in proposing f the " Auckland ' supporters/ saicPhe considered his tppt the, toast ; of the evening. In ayoungcoirimuiiity likeTe Awamutu, starting as they had .done an enterprise of this kind, it was most essential that they should proqure support from Auckland. Th(m Auckland"- supp6Vters' t Imd come forward; j^ajmos^cce/Utable* satitfactory, and substantial manner. Indeed, he 'was certain they all felt i indebted f to them for,tjhe,mai}ner iv ; .which they had backed them up. Among their ,many supporters in pAitekland there was Vc gefcrnan' Bies^nt^thaf night, f-ho wnseminently'fittefl'to'Yes'pond to the toast .which he>nafiipropgs,e,d}(fj?Hs, referred to Mr \V. I. Tavlor. ..they.- had had some little difficulties & contend with in starting the factory, which was not an usual thing -hr matters ols/itliiift kind, but now all had been overcome, and they were 1 on a' fair' way to business; ' \ ' Mr Taylor, in responding on behalf of himselPMd Che'^itoklaiuL tmp'porters of .the factory, thanl^ed fhe, cotppauy ,for the kind manner in which the toast had been proposed and responded to. personally, he took a sincere interest' in the factory, and hoped it -would provide a good return. He believed a good market now existed for produce of this kind; and heh,oped;itwoi\ld^e secure and, steady. He hoped the directors, and all connected with the new' factory, would do their utmost to make it a 1 thorough success. I£r Wcptney, , in proposing the next toast, said he believed the object Jor which^they had assembled, that evening was 'to celebrate tlie starting of the first local industry in, the district. He had great pleasure in proposing the health of the directors, who, he believed, had had a great deal of trouble to contend with. They had succeeded in disposing of shares far and.near.ln fact one ot them, he, believed, had /disposed of a. number of shares to a Maori about a 100 miles away. He coupled with the toast, the name of Mr Bridgman, chairman 'of the board of directors. Mr Bridgman, in responding, sanl he did not fpcl very much at home in the position he occupied £liat evening. He was there amongst tfierfi' merely 'beciuse he took a great inferest in the cheese and bacon factory. Since they started they had had a great many difficulties to' contend with. Considerable' support had been at first guaranteed, and after -the affair, was floated, ri tfnd the directors pad made tliemselves personally responsible, they found that many whom they had been led to look upori'a's ttieir principal supporters, endeavoured to throw cold water on the project. They had determined, however, to 1 accomplish' their end,." and that, day they had all witnessed *the practical opening of the 'factory.' 'He felt proud that .Te Awamutu 'was the first district in Waikatp to start an industry of this kind. Ho hoped, however, their efforts would not cease here, but that they \yo\ild next enter upon the erection of a suitable flourmiU'ou thes^me principle as the cheese factory. As to the success of the factory he had no fear whatever, so long a3 the farmers did their part. The success of the whole concern now depended on the farmers. He Avas soiry to see the name of Mr Parsons, who was leaving the district, withdiawn from the board of directors. Mr Parsons, in a few complimentary lemarks, proposed " The Manager." He was certain of one thing, that they had established an industry, which', /if properly supported by the farmers, would undoubtedly be a grtat success. They had got everything else, a good factory with every requisite in the matter of machinery and a competent manager who thoroughly understood his business. All they wautsd now was the milk. Mr H. Walpole suitably responded, and delivered a few interesting remarks on 'the matter of cheese-making. 1 'Mr Ounnin'shairi, in ' the toast of "The" Contractor," Mr "Wriite," said he had not the slightest doubt that the plant which had been turned out by Mr Waite would give the greatest sible satisfaction to tho manager," and would ipro,ye an excellent plant for cheese-making, It was a matter of meat credit for an Auckland tradesman to be able to turn out a piece of work of this description so -well. They had all been disappointed •in the factory not starting sooner than it had, but the delay was not caused through any delay on the hart of Mr Waite, but through his inability to get a suitable quantity of tin in the colony. He ' felt sni o they would all drink the toast which he had proposed with much warmth. Mr Waite, in responding, said he had little anticipnfce'd the honor which had been extended him that evening. It was becoming a usual practice with people in this part of the colony to send for things to America, instead of giving Auckland mechanics a chance. He could assure them that instead of sending to America for these things they could have them made equally as well and equally, as cheap in, Auckland. There was, he believed, not one single part of the machinery of a cheese factory but what could be made in Auckland equally as well aji in lav l auy r ptber i iCQniitry,. .> t Capt. Riipcitnau addressed a few remarks. He regretted' the trouble they had been put to through, a misconception on his part in not having the machinery for the factory forwarded from America by steamer instead of by sailing vessel. He'was Jiot aware of the progress they had 1 made, it was a penny wise and a 'pound foolish affair, no doubt. Captain Runciman then explained his reasons for doing s.O, and concluded ,by entertaining the company with a few statistics on cheese-making. The .list j of, toasts having been qfljieluded, the evefung was bi ought to ..a musical termination^ ,

The abstract! of receipts' and expenditure of the Waipa- County Council for the half-year ending Sept. 30th, will be found in ant tlier column. , t, , ■ The Vaudeville .and. Burlesque Company (Jenney Nye) will appear in the Hamilton Hall 'on, the 2!) th and IWth jnst., and 'at Ngaru iw.ihia oh the l>t and 2nd JDeccmbcr. A soiree under the auspices of the BtcibyterlartiChurch wilHbf h«ld in the Public Hall, Te.Awamutu, on, Tuesday, November 2lsfc. : ' tea* Wil l' be 'on ''the' table 'at C3d p.m., and afterward* a literary and musical entertainment, will^bc given.; >vith addri-sses by Kcvs. JE\a'ns, Wills, Fulton, and Neville. ~ rMt J.oUu Kl'px will sell at J;he, HamilRobert Barns (under bill of sale), also, furniDomain' lr^'es. The Saturday snl6s wtU in men-are employed as teachera m ihe public -schools -An France; -' > _j: i H^Mrtifel^ii^t a iMaf^\|Wb£]| .baqliiiig^hbWe-.iif' 0. less^, ■ ba ve- cetJeM ljnsidesa on. account; of- the-perleoution^cw