CHAPTER IX. 

 THE DAWN OF DAIRYING CO-OPERATION. 



What may be termed the " Dawn of Unionism" among the dairy 

 farmers of Xew South Wales commenced in 1862, and has been at 

 work ever since, owing to the actions of Sussex-street agents. The 

 dairymen were constantly complaining about unfair treatment. 



In 1864 the grumbling formed itself into a slight rebellion, and one 

 or two farmers seemed disposed to form a union, by which sufficient 

 produce only would be sent to Sydney to satisfy the demands of the 

 consumers. " What are we to do with the surplus ?" was the next 

 question. " Throw it over the Sydney Heads," was the reply ! The 

 gentleman who made the suggestion and answered the query was 

 Mr. John Colley, of Jerrara Vale, Kiania. 



Owing to the fact that butter went up in value during the winter 

 months, when there was a very considerable reduction in quantity 

 with a corresponding rise in quality, acted as a sort of salve to heal 

 the summer sores of the farmers. Be that as it may, very little was 

 done worthy of much notice during the sixties and seventies in the 

 dairying business by way of united action outside of Sussex-street, 

 Sydney. The result was that those who could manufacture good 

 butter under the conditions in which everyone was then placed did 

 so ; and those who were unable to grapple with the surroundings 

 went behind. 



The conditions of Sir John Robertson's Land Act of 1861 allowed 

 anyoiife to take up a selection anywhere on three conditions : The 

 area must not be less than forty and not more than 320 acres ; the 

 price paid was i per acre, 55. down, the rest in instalments ; the 

 selector had to personally live on his selection at least he was sup- 

 posed by law to do so. This Act gave opportunities to many of our 

 dairy farmers, who immediately availed themselves of these provi- 

 sions, antd selected land where available throughout the several 

 counties along the southern seaboard, and also on the tableland. 

 These selectors were not slow in converting their lands into dairy 

 farms ; and as each additional dairy meant more arid more dairy pro- 

 duce, it is easy to conceive how the trouble of the dairy farmers as 

 regards their summer production materially increased accordingly. 



In April and the following winter months many of the dairymen 

 used to prepare the butter, which they had salted and packed away 

 in brinie casks during the summer when prices were low, in the best 

 possible form, and sent it on to the market when prices went up. 

 This scheme did not by any means improve the condition of the dairy 

 farmer generally ; but it goes to show the efforts put into execution 

 by the several dairymen to dispose of a perishable article of com- 

 merce to the best advantage, or ini other words with the means at 

 their command in the sixties and seventies, and before the invention 

 oi dairy machinery. 



In 1865, in the month of April, a Mr. Hardy visited Kiama with a 

 view to the purchase of butter for export. He appointed Mr. M'at. 

 Robson as his agent, who purchased fifty-nine casks of butter as a 

 trial shipment, and the following month 105 casks were purchased. 

 Mr. Hardy again visited Kiama in company with Messrs. Hines and 

 Brice, and appointed a Mr. Smith as his agent, and made arrange- 

 ments to purchase butter each month from 75 to 100 casks till the 

 end of the year. In the June of 1866 Mr. Hardy again visited Kiama, 

 and Mr. Smith purchased considerable quantities throughout the win- 

 ter months only. 



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