CREAM GRADING.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19736, 28 September 1929, Page 7

CREAM GRADING.

CRITICISM OF REGULATIONS QUALITY OF BUTTER AFFECTED. \t its annual meeting yesterday, the Tai Ta r u Co-operative Dairy Company decided to ask the Government to w . vert to the old standard of cream and butter grading. The chairman of directors (Mr H. E i-ervnuuO, in moving the adoption of, the annual report and balance-sheet, ""The grading regulations which are the law of the land have tended to cause friction between the ketones and suppliers, but I would take th 8 opportunity to bring under your notice the fact that the factories are no more responsible for the grading »g«J**»° n " than vou are. These regulations are made bv the Government. Our •*«»»■ to be licensed and is under the control of the Department of it is not within the power of «»«*"«, tors or the management to i.iterfere with members in the discharge of then duties under the gradmg "Sff"^ 8 ' Great things have been expected by the Department from the operation of the*, regulations, but our expenence-aud beTieve it to be the experience ot other factories-is that the quality of butter is lower since the introduction of grading than previously. As regards its effort upon the factory, we, in common with suppliers, would be glad to be free of Government Interference to our operations, in this connexion It is well to remind suppliers that as from October Ist all factories will revert to the three grades of cream; at present there aro two grades only-first and second. Ab from October Ist there Will be finest, tirst and second grade. " Whilst on the matter of grading, I would refer to a matter mentioned ia our last letter to suppliers—that is, unsuitable cans The Department ot Agriculture has decided that cons which are rusty, and in their opinion unsuitable fpr the carriage of cream, will bo condemned. I think most suppliers will agree that cans unsuitable for the carriage of cream should not be used, and, though there may be resentment when f-aus are condemned, it is well to remember that tins ro» jection of the can is not made by the factory but bv the Department, though it is admitted that in some cases the action is desirable, as good, sound cream is often prejudiced by being put into unsuitable containers. "It is possible that the grading regulations may be tightened this season by the raising of the standard of 'Finest.' We have heard that this is likelv to happen, though we must admit 'that we sec little, if any, sity for this action. In our judgment there should be two grades of creamfirst and second. Similarly there should ho two grades of butter. The three grade system simply means that the London merchant buys his first grade at a discount, and the butter is distributed through similar channels and at tho same price as finest." When the report was before tntf meeting, Mr J. G. Fiechen asked whether the company had no powers to stop this interference "It seems rather queer that we have to submit to anv restrictions the Government de cides *to pnt on us," he said. When a Government office is planted, it is like planting an eschalot—you put in one and it becomes 40. Have we no powers to kick against this fool of a thing 9 Has anv attempt been made to stop it*" The Tai Tapu Company had expressed, criticism of the Dairy Control Board in a previous year, and it had been proved right—the Board was useless. Mr Perymim said apparently tho North Tsland companies were satisfied. Representations had been made to tho right quarter. Mr T. O. Morgan asked how grading had made a worse quality of cream. Mr C. P. Agar (general manager) said ho did not know how to explain in what manner the standard had fallen. Al' ho could answer was that a deterioration had been observed, and that this had been noticed since grading, A falling-off in the standard of the butter followed. "We don't know the reason, but that is our experi. encc," said Mr Agar. Subsequently, on the motion of Mr J. G. Fiechen, it was decided unanimously that the directors be instructed to make reiiresentations to the Government and the Department of Agriculture in favour of a reversion to the two grade standard for butter and cream.