DAIRY PRODUCE EXPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 16, 19 January 1894, Page 3

DAIRY PRODUCE EXPORT.

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER IN

LONDON

(by telegraph.—own cokrespondeht)

Wellington, this day. Specialists and experts project) thtmselve1' on all aides, and are in evidence every" where. No sooner does Mr Valentine de part for the flowery meads ol the West Coast, there to impress the bucolic mind with many things, from the need of " test tube" cleanliness in his methods of manufacture to the disabilities of the result of the butter in London, than yet another lacteal expert claims attention. This time it is Mr Lowe, the recently appointed Government aeenb in London, whose business is to watch the interests of the producer and consignor of dairy produce in the metropolis ot the Empire. English advices gay he is a good man, who will prove fully equal to his new responsibilities. His first official report has just arrived, and a perusal of it is interesting and instructive. The organisation of the Australian and New Zealand Butter Committeo, is fully > described. Ib is oompoeod mainly of produce agents, who handle colonial butter, but producers are also encouraged to join. In the pre Committee days, agents commonly obtained control upon commission of more butter than they could realise upon ab fair prices within a given time, consequently forced sales weakened the market. His buniness was to clear consignments and make his commission, of course, no matter how limited his ability to distribute the commodity. Mr Lowe writes thab it is too early to speak of the actual results achieved, bub that unity of action among agents will tend to inspire confidence in each other, and procure better values. The extension of trade is illustrated by the fact thab by the end of November, 1892, the season's arrivals in London were 2,255 cases, while for the same period this year we cent 19,000 cases, and Australia 12,782 and 39,000 packages respectively. This, however, is partly accounted for by the fact that the importing season commenced this season a month earlier than usual. The force of tbe argument that a good article pays beat is shown by a quotation of this season's prices which ranged from 58s to 90s, bought for pastry purposes ; and up to 130s for butter of eaeep tional quality, while Australian of the finoat quality" ranged from 116s to 124a. Mr Lowe is very urgent in bis representations fchab the reputation of good brands of butter should be maintained, and gives a recent instance of the injurious effect upon the whole trade of negligence in this particular. A factory with a high reputation for firat-clnss butter agreed to supply a London firm with from 200 to 300 boxes weekly. Knowing the high reputation of the butter, the consignees registered a special brand, and sold tbe fireb lob to arrive at 126s which is above the price of the day upon arrival. It proved unequal to the best Australian, and dealers refused delivery. Mr Lowe was called in for an expert's opinion, and found uneven quality, some of tallowy flavour, and nearly every box "marbled." A second consignment proving equally unsatisfactory, the special brand of the London firm was abandoned as ita reputation wae spoiled. More conclusive evidence of the necessity of grading in London, aa urged by Mr Valentine, could hardly bo adduced.