TWO FINE PRODUCTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 75, 28 March 1923, Page 7

TWO FINE PRODUCTS.

Jf.Z. BUTTER AND CHEESE. PRAISED BY COMMISSIONER. comparison- \yirn Danish. «I was particularly pleased with the o „alitv'of the butter and cheese I saw this morning at the grading stores, said Mr. W. M. Singleton, the dairying commissioner, to a largely attended meetins of members of the New Zealand Dairy "Factory Managers' Association held "this afternoon in the rooms of the A and P. Association, High Street. Mr. Rin"lcton went on to say that he considered the uniformity of the excellence 0 f the flavour in many of the samples reflected great credit on the factory management. Reports coming from En"land last season and the present iea"son were gratifying as far as general quality was concerned- Then- was good jvidence that many of the Dominion's best brands of butter were quite equal to the Panish, and if New Zealand could put those brands on tlie market regularly all the year round as the Danes could, New Zealand would have no difficulty in getting prices equal ' the Danish.

As far as cheese was concerned New Zealand had raised its product to an equality with that of Canada, which was considerably ahead until within the past couple of seasons. There again the management of the factories could be congratulated. The extensive use of the pasteuriser had enabled New Zealand makers to make a cheese containing a little more moisture than before, and that was greatly appreciated by the British consumer.

After referring to the absolute necessity for seeing that the legal water content in butter was never exceeded, Mr. Singleton went on to suggest that the general appearance of butter boxes and the papering of the boxes was not all it might be in certain instances. That was a point that had been spoken of in criticism from the Old Country, and needed attention.

•In cheese, cracked rinds and want of finish should be looked to. Mr. Singleton thought the graders should he harder than they had been on cracked rinds. The efforts that were being made to do away with rims was also a good one, and if successful would do a lot of good. _ Mr. A. Morris (president of the association) spoke appreciatively of the excellent advice Mr. Singleton was alvravs ready to give the dairymeu. The association members greatly appreciated the efforts of the commissioner and other members of the Government service. On the matter of the size of timber used in butter boxes, Mr. Singleton said he thought it highly advisable that the temporary regulation permitting the use of half-inch stuff should be withdrawn. He was quite certain (and reports from Home substantiated it) that half-inch timber was too light for the ends. He strongly urged managers to ■use the heavier stuff. Regarding the complaints from Home that there was a falling-off in general appearance in the get-up of some of the shipments, Mr. Singleton said that could be explained by the unprecedented expansion that had taken place, an expansion that got ahead of the factory facilities, and also by the abnormal labour conditions that had prevailed. These matters were quickly b'ing overtaken, and he felt sure that there would soon be no need to criticise the get-up of New Zealand butter.