TE AWAMUTU. The Cheese Factory.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1739, 28 August 1883, Page 2

TE AWAMUTU. The Cheese Factory.

Thk work of enlarging the mak-ing-room of the Te Awamutn Cheese Factory is being proceeded with. Mr Williams, of Ngaruawahia, is the conttactor, and the contract price is £128 for everything, including shelves, &c. The addition is to be the same size as the piescnt making-room. It was decided to have it this size in view of the large quantity of milk promised. The contract is to be completed by the 23th September, and everything is to be in working order by the Ist of October. The plant, when erected, will be capable of working up 1200 gallons of milk. One vat will Le kept in reserve so that if the supply of milk reaches 1300 gallons that quantity can be worked. Some people are apprehensive that with the number of factories in course of erection, and contemplated in New Zealand, the cheese market will be glutted. Such a contingency is hardly likely to arise, as the United States and Canada, which make more cheese than all other countries put togethpr, cannot, after supplying their own markets, export enough for foreign demands, which are increasing each year. In a letter to the president of the Cheese Making Association of America, the President of the English Board of Trade stated that the consumption of cheese in England during the past year avpragecl Slbs per head of the total population, as against 41bs for the previous year. Owing to the high price of meat, the demand for cheese in the citieo and towns of England has largely increased. The export of cheese from Canada last year was forty million pounds, and one hundred and twenty millions from the States ; even that was not sufficient to meet the demand. New Zealand cheese, if exported to England, will reach there when the American imports are falling off, and if the article be good it will fiud a ready market. There is also a good market to be found in India. I have been informed by a gentleman who resided there for a long time, that there is a great demaud for good cheese, and a good article would bring a very high price. All these facts prove that the cheese industry is the most profitable in which farmers can engage^ at present. Putting it at the lowest calculation the supplier can make £5 per cow at the low price of 3£d per gallon for milk. There are very few farmers who make that amount of profit on two bullockSj and it costs far more to fatten two bullocks, even though they may not be kept for a year on the farm, than to feed one cow all the yeav round, for a cow will milk well on grass that would not fatten bullocks. , Farmers are beginning £o see this. I know ' that many who at fir^fc noph-poohed the idea of a factory paying, are no^c glad enough to supply milk, arid I believethe. directors of the Te , Awamutu Taptory, will .nQ^be ablp fo take /dUi'itl^&wlllv.Be Voffeie«ij{next js^asoD^

first originated the idea of factories for the district, thus opening up a way for improving their circumstances.

Miscellaneous. The weather has been miserably wet and cold for some days. Pironetfa and Maungatautiri were arrycd in white on Friday morning, the snow remaining on Pirongia during the greater part of two days. Building operations have been pretty brisk, both here and in Kihikihi, many new buildings have recently been erected in the latter place. Mesais Wllliam3 and Taylor have just completed a handsome residence near here for Mr J. W. Bridgeman. When spring sets in business will improve, for by that time the factory will be in full swing, and the Land Court will be open at Kilukihi, thus causing a circulation of money. — (Own Correspondent.)