James Ballantyne MacEwan and the move to New Zealand

In 1911, J. A. Ruddick published an article entitled An Historical and Descriptive Account of the Dairying Industry in Canada. Here is a quote from that article:  "In 1894, Mr. J. B. MacEwan, who was then a member of the Dairy Commissioner's staff, received and accepted an offer to go to New Zealand, as Chief Dairy Expert. Mr. MacEwan was only two years in the dairying service of New Zealand, but to the writer's personal knowledge, he left a most excellent record behind him." (p. 56). Attached is the farewell testimonial dated October 1894 from James' colleagues in the Office of the Dairy Commissioner in Ottawa which was presented to James as he prepared to travel to New Zealand.   A small sidelight: I notice that he is addressed as "Mac" a nickname that many other McEwans have carried over the years.  The next piece of evidence related to James' career development is an article from the Otago Witness in New Zealand dated 8th October 1896.  The article  notes that James had passed through Auckland on his way to America.  The writer then goes on to explain: "The desirability of one of our experts visiting Europe about this time was mooted at the Dairy Conference held in Dunedin in June last, and Mr MacEwan made his plans for the trip under the impression that the Government would offer no objection to the tour of inspection, which he considered necessary in the interests of the colony.  But the Cabinet, after discussing his application decided that the department could not easily dispense with his services at this moment. Mr MacEwan accordingly resigned."

James Ballantyne MacEwan and the Cheese Industry (2)

APPENDIX TO THE REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE BEING REPORT OF THE DAIRY COMMISSIONER

 Ottawa 30th January 1891

 To the Honourable The Minister or Agriculture 

From the report of the Dairy Commissioner here is a sample of the report writing of James MacEwan:

" REPORT OF J B MacEWAN

 Ottawa April 29th 1893

 Prof Jas. W. Robertson Dominion Dairy Commissioner Ottawa

 Sir

 I have the honour to submit my second annual report of work carried on under your supervision during the year 1892 and up to the present time of 1893. During the early months of 1892 the series of milk tests were continued the object being to show if it were possible to increase the percentage of fat or total solids in milk from a number of cows by increasing the amount of meal fed daily. A full report of the work was delivered to you and the conclusions went to indicate ....  These tests together with office work occupied my time up to the 9th of May at which time an application having been made to you by Mr D Derbyshire President of the Creameries Association of Ontario and Mr Wm Eager President of the Dairymen's Association of Eastern Ontario for a person to take up the Dairy School work for Eastern Ontario I at your request and in accordance with arrangements made by you with Messrs. Derbyshire and Eager reported at Brockville on the 9th of May and for the next five months my time was occupied in carrying out the work as mapped and supervised by the executive of the Dairymen's Association of Eastern Ontario. The object of the work for which a grant had been made by the Ontario Government was the establishment of a Dairy School at a central point in Eastern Ontario where all cheese makers dairymen and all persons interested could attend and receive instructions in the most approved methods of making cheese in the different months of the season, the testing of milk with the Babcock and lactometer, and any other desired information. Owing to the large area to be covered extending from Lancaster on the east to Port Hope, Lindsay and Peterborough on the west it was not deemed advisable to establish this school at any one point but to have the school go from one centre to another and thus bring it within reach of every one. It was also arranged to hold meetings of dairymen wherever desired and we were thus enabled to give some practical talks on this most important home end of the industry along the lines of lessening the cost of production by a better system of feeding and breeding the care of milk by thorough aeration and the absolute necessity for cleanliness in all matters pertaining to the dairy. ..... I covered the ground twice visiting Brockville, Morrisburg, Gananoque, Kingston, Napanee. Belleville, Campbellford, Peterborough, Lindsay, and Port Hope districts visiting in all 184 factories met with 244 cheese makers and held 20 meetings at which nearly 1,500 dairymen attended. I am hopeful that the money and time spent were and will be productive of good results. ....."
Attached is a picture of J B Ballantyne taken about the time of this report.