NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11102, 22 October 1901, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

i /PROSPECTS JElf SOUTH AFRICA. ,

(SPBCTAI* TO "THE PBJSS.") ' _ *»IXNEDI-C October 21. Mr* Bolt, manager of the Taieri Peninsula Milk Supply Company, on bemg interviewed as to the "prospects of New Zealand butt*r in the African, market, saich—"l think for tlie next eight or> nine years, at any rate, there . ought Jo be a big market in Africa for our produce: -Rinderpest J has played havoc with their cattle, and the war has done the rest; so that for a long time to come 'Africa mu&t be "largely dependent upon , outside ■ Sources, for her needs. Whea I was there they could not get butter in Durban under 2s to $s 3d per lb.. Irish, Danish, and Australian butter was quoted at & 3d per lb. A strange thing is that I found New Zealand butter fetching Is psr cwfc less than the Australian. . I can only account tor that on the grounds of the deterioration of our butter, consequent on its transhipment, and undue handling. AU our trade with Africa has hitherto been, done through Australia, .and tb? butter has suffered by its rmfovaT&oni the irozen chamber to the store, and from tha store to "the frozen chamber, and thus hits compared unfavourably with the Australian butter shipped direct. When on my way to England I took a quantity of butter with ine, which I disposed of at satisfactory prices, Had with which the buyerswere well pleased. A regular and direct? line of steamers is accessary to develop our African trade. The freight to Africa would be about the some a« to England, but that is not all. , If New. Zealand consignois are to rewp-the full benefit of high prices*, an agent should be appointed in Africa to sell on their account. The corfsa of the country is the middleman, who buys at bed-rock prices, and takes all the profit. I would advocate the opening of a .New Zealand store,.say., at Port not at Capetown. . Capetown is everybody's market, and there butter could be disposed of at the highest figure. There is no doubt Africa will prove a, good market if the trade is taken in hand 'properly, and there is no reason why New Zealand, butter should not fetch-top-prices. They prefer it iriade up in lib pats, and there is sot so much demand in summer as in winter. One of the most important points, if prices are to be maintained, is that shipments must be made regularly." Asked about the butter proepeota in the English market, Mr Bolt replied:—- a England cannot do much more for h*rself tban she is doing. The demand for milk is too great to expect her to make more butter. The only,disturbing element id Russia*.-but-ter, immense quantities'of which are being sent to England -through Denmark. It is being placed on the English market as Danish. New Zealand need, fear no competition as regards the quality of,, butter the -world over/ I tasted Irish-. Canadian, Danish,. American, and all other brands, and although it may be considered prejudice, there was nothing in salt butter to beat our own; indeed, I do not consider Banish butter a bit better than New Zealand, if only ours could be delivered fresh, but that possibility is in the future ax yet. All over England I was assured that New Zealand butter was the best in the market, and that is .* very satisfactory jstate of things, ''The outlook, for the coming season is very good, and price* are expected to keep up. Whan I left England gooji butter was fetching from Is 3d to is saper IB.* The summer had been Very dry, and supplies were short. Good work is being done by Mr Cameron, the Government Produce Commissioner, who ia giving the greatest attention to tha colony's produce, and is doing his beat to help trade lorward."