THE ASHBURTON CHEESE FACTORY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2245, 27 November 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE ASHBURTON CHEESE FACTORY.

[Canterbury Pr«:ss.] In response to an enquiry, we have much pleasure in publishing below a few brief particulars relating to one of the principal cheese factories in Canterbury, namely, the factory established at Flemington towards the close of 1882. Early in the year 1832 a company was formed with a nominal capital of £3000 in 1000 shares at £5 each. A considerable number of these shares was tiken up by the farmers of Floinington, Willoby, Longbeach, and other parts of the district, while the principal business men of Ashburton joined heartily in the movement, with the result that 700 of the 1000 shares weru taken up, and what is perhaps one of the most complete) cheese factories in the colony, was built at a cost of over £2000, including £150 paid for several aeies of land. Buildings of the most substantial character were erected, and as the faith in the profits to be derived from cheese making was great, and as the land in the vicinity of the factory was some of the best grazing country in Canterbury, no expense was spaied to make the factory a model institution, so far as buildings, machinery, and general appliances were concerned. Plant and machinery were imported and fitted up at a cost of £633 13i Bd, and at the opening ceremony on October 27th, ISB2, a large number of viaitor3 were shown as complete a set of buildings aud machinery as it had been possible to get. Not long after the factory had got in full swing the results of ill-advised and lavish expenditure were felt, and it soon became apparent that mistakes had been made, but only such mistakes as are incident to the establishment of many new industries. The capacity of the factory was equal to receiving 1200 gals of milk, being the product of about 400 cows per day. The factory started operations with a snpply of about 700 gals of milk per day. It was believed that a steady market would be found in London for all the cheeses that could be turned out, and the cheese were made of such a size and quality as it was thought would suit the buyers in the great metropolis of the world. The experiment of shipping cheese to England, however, was not a success financially, aud the operations at the factory for the season 1882 and 1883 showed a big figure on the debit side of the ledger. In ISS4 the cheese account showed a small profit, but at the end of September, 18S3, the Directors' report was not an encouraging one, as the balance was again on the wrong side of thn book. During the early days of the institution, some £300 had been spent, not wisely nor well, iv the erection of piggeries, and at the close of the 1885 cheese season the company commenced the curing of bacon, and were pretty confident that the profits to be derived from this branch of the business would square the cheese account, and show a ptofit besides, t nfortunately, however, a big drop in the bacon market occurred at an awkward time, aud bacon-curing proved very much of a delusion, and a .snaie. At; tho following general meeting 1 the directors met the shareholders with a. balancesheet showing v. considerable profit on tho aesuon's output of cheese, but a coumcLtuble loss on the bacon. The adverse circumstances naturally discouraged the shareholders, who showed a disinclination to take up the balance o1 unallotted shares, and in May last a resolution was uuanimously carried to the effect that the company should go into liquidation. The above piiticulars are the reverse of cncouiagiig* to any farming community who miyht bo thinking' of starting a cheese factory, but it has been deemed wiso to g'ivo them, with a view of helping other districts to a\oi'l the shoals on which tho Ashburton Chee*o Factory has been partially stranded. It has not become a total wroclc, for theve is every reason to believe that the factory will yet turn out a success. To fehow that the Directors lnd every cosfidence in tho concern, it might he mentioned that they made themselves personally liable for several thousand pound", and while the 10-^e-i were beinir incurred the directors put their hands pretty deep into their pockets and kept the concern afl tat. The guarantors arestill carrying 1 on the business, and with an increased colonial demand for cheese still hope to see some return for the capital they have sunk, and also hope to prove that dairy factories can be made to pay. Operations were resumed last month, and at present the supply of milk to the factory i< about 50001b per day, or equal to about 460 gallons. A large increase on this amount is expected as the .season advances. The price piid to the farmer is 4d per I libs, of milk, showing an average of II per cent, of oream for the season, The milk is tested once a week in the presence of a representative of the milk supplier?. If at the end of the season it is found that any particular supply of milk has not averaged 11 per cent, of o-eam, the farmer will be required to make an allowance at the rate of \i per gallon for every 1 per cent, deficiency in the cream tests. The mode of payment is by three months,' bills given at the end of each month, so that virtually the farmers give the managers of the factory or the cheese-making firman equivalent to three months' credit. Up to this season the milk suppliers were paid cash at the end of each mouth, and there is no doubt that the cheese factory, though not so far a paying concern for the original shareholders or the uufortunate directors, has been of givab benefit to the milk suppliers and district generally. During the first year the sum of £2000 was paid in cash for milk alone ; the second year the sum paid was £130) ; the third year £1101), and the fourrh year £1000, making a total of £5,400 in casU paid for milk alone, while an additional £4009 was spent in t!ie purchase of pigs, piincipally in the district. The milk is supplied by farmers living within a radius of from two to two and a-hali miles of the factory, so that the distribution of £5100 amongst the few farmers who occupy this area must have had a very beneficial efnet, especially during the seisons of bad harvests and ruinous prices for all kinds of cereal products. I'h,' cluvses that ;ire now being marie are of .vi average weight of 14lbs, and are intended solely for the colonial market. Mr H.uding and one assistant do the wlio'e work in connection with the cheese-waking. Experience, so far, has proved that an average of lib of cured cheese is made from every Mb weight of milk, and the cost of production, including hbour and material, is Id per pound weight of cheese. The large heavy cheeses were produced at a trifle under Id per lb, but so far as the Ashburton Factory is concerned, the London market has been tried and found wanting, and those who are now carrying on the factory have determined to make cheese suitable for the local and general colonial markets.

Rklikf of Distress in Ireland.— A Parliamentary paper has been issued containinsr a copy of "Mr Tnke's report cm the relief of distress in the west of Ireland, undertaken by him at tho request of the Government." The report is dated May 7, 1880, and appended is a copy of Mr Tukes letter to The Times of tho 25th March last, which ho abates gives in a condousod form the fuller information which from tirao to time he forwarded to his Excellency at his request. Mr Take, who began his enquiries on tho 7th March, says that the " total number of families assisted on the mainlands and islands exceeds 6,000, and the amount expended will be about £.5,000. The cost per ton of the potatoes has ranged from £3 to 4-3 life, including freight for sacks, the latter chargod 5s per ton. The amounts so kindly contributed by the public from First to last have been £5,000 ; there are, however, some liabilities incurred, which will nearly absorb the balance."