DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2565, 28 July 1909, Page 4

DAIRY INDUSTRY.

IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT AGTIO-n . [Pun I’anss Association.) WELLINGTON. July 27. The Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. T. Mackenzie, attended the Farmers’ Union Conference this afternoon, and made an important statement affecting the dairy industry. “In connection,” he said, “with the’unsatisfactory prices to which New Zealand butter has fallen in the British markets, and the necessity that exists for some .active steps being taken, not only regarding the undue percentage of moisture, but also as it affects the quality, the Government has decided upon a means which, it is hoped, will be effective in securing an improvement of-the milk supply and of the output of factories. The method to be adopted will l>e to ascertain at the factories which of the suppliers are sending in unsatisfactory milk. In order to carry this out, it was decided at a meeting of the Cabinet to-day to increase the number of instructors attached to the ’dairy produce division of the Department, and to extend the functions of these officers to the farms as well as the dairy factories. This will enable the Department to dispense with the services of nearly all the existing dairy inspectors, thus materially reducing the expense. In this connection it is confidently expected that the system of holding one man responsible for the instruction work, not onlv in the factories, but also at the cowsheds, throughout a given district, will soon result in New Zealand’s dairy produce occupying a higher position in the world’s markets titan at present. In this connection it is proposed to divide the whole of the dairy factories in the Dominion into groups, and that an officer sufficiently highly qualified to command respect among the factory directors, managers, and supporters, be appointed to each group. The duty of the officers would he (a) to attend at the factory and give the manager such advice 'and instruction as-found desirable and while there to ascertain from which suppliers the unsuitable milk is coming, (b) to visit these faulty suppliers ancl show them where the defectlies. As these inspectors would visit those suppliers who wore sending in defective or had milk, it was hoped they Mould have the cordial support of all other suppliers, as well of the directors and manager. The Government hope by the methods now to he adopted to got at the root of the troubles regarding bad milk.” The President of the Conference (Mr J. G. Wilson), said the announcement made by the Minister marked an important step in the progress of the industry 1 s'