EXPORT OF DAIRY PRODUCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 223, 21 September 1888, Page 4

EXPORT OF DAIRY PRODUCE.

VISIT OF A LONDON REPRE-

SENTATIVE,

PROSPECTS OF EXTENSIVE TRADE,

Mr Meadows, the representative of Messrs Trongrouse and Co., produce merchants, London, lefbthismorning by the s.s. Wanaka for Taranaki. Prior to his departure he was interviewed by a Stak reporter with reference to tbe objects of bis visit to New Zealand and tbe prospects of establishing a profitable export of dairy products from this colony to London.'. ~Mr Meadows said that bis visit to New Zealand, which had been undertaken for business purposes^ bad so fur beenbhoroughlysabisfactory. In Aucklandho had not been abk. to visit the country districts, but he hoped to be back hero in tbe course of a month, when bo would havo more time at hia disposal for that purpose. He had, however, while hero seen the plants of several dairy factories—notably tlidt of the New Zealand Dairy Association. The plants which ho had seen were quite up to the times, and the people of New Zealand were, in his opinion, in a position to make as good butter as anyone could expect to see. He had tasted several samples of Auckland-made butter, which he found to bo most satisfactory. .The only difficulty now to be overcome was the getting of the butter to Lcmdoii. Do yon refer to the liigh rates'of freight? Not so much to that as to tho preservation of the butter in good condition on the voyage through the tropics till it reaches London. If it is practically shown that the butter will stand the long transit and can be depended upon arriving in uniformly I good condition, the Now Zealand article will command the best price. : Do;you thinl. there is any prospect of a remunerative trade being established ._ Certainly, if.tbeK.butt.er can be landed in London in. .the same condition sis I find, it here. The butter which I inspected yesterday at. the establishment of Mr Reynolds, in Auckland, I consider to be of exceedingly good quality, Of course, it was winter made; but thab class of butter from spring grass would be the finest in : the world."

You think the" Auckland butter might command a, good price; in, London — as much,; for instance, as the best Danish ? , ; Youi",butter.will command the same price as the Danish, and even .with the high; riates' of freight I think you should be able to compete with the Cohtinenbul -shippers . of.,;.butter,,to the London market. The price varies very much according to qualityi'nnd according :td season. In, the winter, the best quality of butter goes as high as 150- per cwt. Tlie .New. Zealand ' spring < and summer butter woiilc. reach London just at the time that the prices are highest. As to the salting bf the butter ? ' Well, London and the larger towns, which will be the chief consumers," want their butter very naild~almost entirely fresh. ! The absence of salt need hot increase the difficulty of preserving the butter in good-condition during transit. As for the method of packing, Pond's boxes are certainly very good {* bu t;)j question very mv cb if it is necessary to use, such expensive boxes. _ Kegs of the ordinary kind might be found to answer just lis well.*' ' i_. A> . Will there beany difficulty in getting the New Zealand butter into the proper commercial:channdl,in LjOndon? Not th(3 slightest; _ You have - only ,-to ■ satisfy thib English people on the score of quality and they will buy the article. Yes, ofcourse, there will be a certain amount of prejudice; to q-rercomey butthat will disappear very quickly when the people get 'to know the value of the goods.* 'Do you think any London importers are likely to give orders for New Zealand butter, or will it, have to bei!eent on consignment? Well, .you cannot expect orders until .lib London- merchants are satisfied that the butter can bet-sent with a certain, tjegrge of uniformity, .both as to quantity, • and . quality., Once you Can give; assurance that; Consignments will be of a certain quality, orders will follow as a matter of course;;: Our firm are: meahing to foster the trade? if ib is at all piossible, and :my; presouce here ;ab_ great j expense and loss of! valuable time is the best proofthat we consider there is something in it. : ■'.'''■:-'-' x "'-:■-• ,:' -'■-■■'■:, ; No; imported butter is .not sold; by auction in London, ■} but the curreHt price is fixed by the state of.the markets I can quite understand that there,has been disappointment with the returns -from New Zealand 'butter sent to London in the pa:st. That is -because the consignments were not. sent throughi-the proper channels. : They;have come through-banks and other institutions, who employed produce brokers, who sold;: to the ; mci. chahts, ; and \ there have ' thus been several unnecessary commissions ;:-to deduct, withthe result probably thabnothing was left to. the producer, .after freiehtj. storage, charges, ;&c., had- been paid. We hope tointroduce a better system ._ .- . After a few more, remarks, the interview .closed. - : ,;,,,,;. ; ..,■.....,.,' -.., ~-'■.■■-■■, ,y_ , .-