NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE IN BRITAIN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7402, 4 February 1908, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE IN BRITAIN.

STATEMENT BY HON. R. M'NAB.

In reply to a question by, an Evening Post representative as to whether he thought the visit to London of Messrs Cuddy (Dairy Conimissioner) and Reakiw (Assistant Chief Veterinarian), was calculated to improve the standard of our produce in the markets of Great Britain, the Minister for Agriculture (Hon. R. M'Nab) said;— "Yes, enormously." : "In what way?" the Minister was asked.

"Messrs Cuddy and Reakes,'' said tlie hon. gentleman, "are the pioneers of a policy of having men, who have had New Zealand experience, and know intimately our grading and inspection and who at the other end of the world can, in their mind's eye, reproduce that grading and inspecting. Once they are established there, and kept in touch with our graders at this end by periodic change of men , we produce a human machine, as it were, which at the other, end of the world can read the article in the light of its grading in New Zealand. Knowing our system perfectly, they look with the New Zealand inspector's eyes at the article after it comes out of the cold storage, and the all-world trip, and then at once tell how many points it has lost from its original grading and flavour and colour, or in anything that goes to make up the grading. Tha£ cannot be done now. Once they get this information, it can be classified and arranged to enable us to detect whether high-pointed butters depreciate more on the voyage than low-pointed. We will also obtain information whether the colour-points depreciate, and to what extent, when high or low-raark,ed. The same in regard to flavour am texture. Supposing we were to ascertaintjiat a very high graded butter scarcely depreciates at all, while low-graded butters 'flgprgciate very much, we will then be able to arrange for high-graded butters at this end'to receive special distinction, and give to the English consumer a guarantee on buying on the New Zealand points he will get an article in England that has not depreciated more than go many points (whatever the number may be). That guarantee will mean a great lot to the English consumer, but it will mean still more to our own producers here who know what are the strong points of production for ph& round-the-world trip, and what are the indifferent or weak ones. Once they obtain £hat knowledge, the course which lies opt*n for them to follow is plain as noonday. Tb34> is what we anticipate will enable us to produce an article that will cheat the elements of decay that accompany a long voyage. It will not improve the make from any other point of view, but is simply to make a voyagedepreciating resisting butter and cheese." •'ln regard to meat," added the Hon. Mr M'Nab, "not being a manufactured article, the points to bo observed are slightly different, butare of equal importance ; and there is the additional field j that a veterinary surgeon acquainted with pur conditions and work here will always bo present to advise us as to the truth or otherwise of the statements that are continually put in circulation that New Zealand meat_ of a diseased or in an unfit condition for food, is being foisted on the London consumer."