I go A^EW SOUTH WALES. 



factory system, wliicli were very evident. Large numbers of farmers 

 who were deeply involved with the hanks and storekeepers, or were 

 struggling with a hand-to-mouth existence, were soon enabled to re- 

 duce or clear their liabilities, and obtain for themselves and families 

 very comfortable positions ; whilst the general condition of all engaged 

 in the industry was materially improved. Again this system also allowed 

 other districts which had hitherto been purchasers of quantities of 

 butter in Sydney to join in and secure for themselves the benefits of 

 the industry. 



Farmers who had long endeavoured to grow grain and hay at un- 

 remunerative prices, and whose crops were mortgaged as soon as they 

 appeared above ground, who dreaded more than the drawing of a tooth 

 to meet the storekeeper or banker if they went into the local town, by 

 converting their arable fields into pastures and consuming their crops as 

 fodder to milking cows on the farm, producing all the milk they could 

 for their local butter factory, soon found they could take their families 

 into town in well-appointed buggies, and the aforesaid formerly- 

 dreaded individuals would be plea,sed to raise their hats and smilingly 

 greet them. Formerly the farmer saw or handled but little money, 

 and then only once a year, when the crops of grain, hay, or wool were 

 sold ; but now he had the cash for his milk every mouth, and larger 

 returns than he had received before. Besides the prosperity of the 

 farmer, the community was benefited in a multitude of ways, and whole 

 districts were changed materially and socially. Without any extraneous 

 aid this industry has developed soleh^by private energy and enterprise 

 during the eleven years since the erection of the old " Pioneer" factory; 

 and co-operative factories, also proprietary factories, both of companies 

 and individual dairymen, have spread over the whole length and 

 breadth of the coast districts and tablelands. 



The present number of butter factories and creameries (January, 

 1896) is approximately 400, vni\i. many more in course of erection. 

 Besides these, there are numerous other establishments not having 

 steam power, and therefore not designated " factories," but having 

 either horse or hand power cream-separators. The total number of 

 separators at work in the colony now reaches about 1,500. 



The factory system has proved equally successful when applied to 

 the manufacture of cheese, and we have about 80 factories where 

 cheese is made, either alone, or in conjunction with butter or bacon. 



The official records of the year ending olst March, 1895, give the 

 colony^s production of butter and cheese to have been 



and during the same period 4,590,606 lb. of butter were exported to 

 the United Kingdom. 



The number of persons employed, more or less, in this industry, in 

 factories and farms, is, approximately, 26,800. The present number 

 of milking cows may be set down at 450,000, and the total dairy stock 

 of the colony is estimated to exceed 1,000,000. 



