508 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



industry was not catered for as fully as it should be with a view to 

 improving the quality and increasing the money value of the product. 



However, if it were necessary to provide for inspection when 

 butter was only a by-product of the farm, how much more so is it now 

 that it has grown into a staple industry and that our products have to 

 compete in the world's markets with those of other countries which 

 have thorough systems of inspection in operation. 



Ever since the inception of the export trade the Department of 

 Agriculture has been most sympathetic for the welfare of the dairying 

 industry and those engaged in it. In bonnses for the establishment 

 of factories, creameries, the exporting of butter, and instruction,, 

 nearly 1 150,000 has been given. The sound instruction disseminated 

 by the late Mr. David Wilson helped producers greatly, the industry 

 was launched on solid up-to-date lines, and for some years rapid 

 headway was made both as regards quantity and quality. In those 

 days every factory and creamery manager exercised a certain amount 

 of influence for good over the suppliers, almost all of whom he came 

 in contact with daily. The factories and utensils were then com- 

 paratively new and uncontaminated. With the advent of the home 

 separator, producers were withdrawn from the factory managers' 

 control, and the nature of the competition that exists for cream 

 tended to carelessness and a lower standard of quality. The present 

 Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Taverner, inany years ago recognised 

 that with the growth of the industry, the alteration in the methods of 

 treating milk and cream, aiid the inclusion in it of producers who had 

 no previous experience or training, care and instruction became increas- 

 ingly necessary; consecjuently he appointed your humble servant, and 

 at a later period Mr. H. W. Potts, the extent of whose labours is well 

 known. The dairymen of the State are also deeply indebted to the 

 Agricultural Department for the services of Dr. Cherry, R. T. Archer, 

 and P. J. Carroll, and no instance has yet been recorded of those in the 

 industry having been harassed or discouraged by those officers. Hardly 

 a week passes by without grateful recognition being received by the 

 Department for help and advice given to dairymen. All along, how- 

 ever, one great drawback has been experienced, namely, power to 

 deal with those few who will insist on doing that which results in 

 injury to their neighbours, and harm to the dairying industry. 

 Authority is badly needed to stop the use of biestings for butter- 

 making purposes whether the product is for export or not. Every 

 practical dairyman is aware that a good keeping butter cannot be 

 made out of milk from newly calved cows for some days after calving, 

 and yet in spite of this knowledge there are a few who, to gain a few 

 pence at the moment, do not scruple to deprive their neighbours of 

 pounds by bringing down the reputation and price of butter abroad. 



Then, again, power is urgently wanted to enforce the discon- 

 tinuance of rusty and unsuitable vessels for use with milk and cream. 



With the great majority of dairymen compulsion is entirely 

 unnecessary, but in their interests the power is required to deal with 



