NEW ZEALAND CHEESE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 259, 1 November 1932, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND CHEESE.

CRITICISM OF QUALITY. VIEWS OF MR PABLANE. STATEMENTS TOO SWEEPING. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. Commenting on the recent criticism of the quality of New Zealand cheese, Mr. C. J. Parlane, general manager of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., stated to-day that it was questionable whether such reports were helpful to the industry, particularly when they constituted a general statement, without specific instances being given. About IS months ago, he added, much adverse comment was made concerning New Zealand cheese, standardisation being held responsible. It now seemed that the same trouble experienced with the standardised milk cheese was apparent jn the full-cream article. It would therefore appear that many thousands of pounds were lost on reverting to fullcream cheese that might well have been saved to the Dominion producers.

Taranaki Quality. While disagreeing with the drastic statements published, Mr. Parlane admitted there is room for improvement. Some of the cheese companies were not giving the attention to quality that tlte industry had a right to expect. He referred particularly to cheese companies in Taranaki. As the poor quality of their product carried the New Zealand brand it detrimentally affected the name of New Zealand cheese in the United Kingdom. Apart from this there were certain faults, such as openness, puzzling the experts, but he believed these would be overcome. Aiiother difficulty was the lack of facilities on farms for thorough sterilisation of milking plants and dairy utensils, and cooling of milk and cream. Steam generators ant , efficient coolers were essential Research Advocated. Mr. Parlane said he regarded it as desirable for the Dairy Division to assume control of dairy factories in different districts and experiment in cheese manufacture under ordinary factory conditions. Any cost should be borne by the whole industry. Investigation was necessary also into the effect of various grasses on milk quality. He favoured the practice of holding crates of cheese in store for several months to ascertain the condition when it should arrive on the London market.