ADVANTAGES OF TESTING

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28792, 13 January 1959, Page 11

ADVANTAGES OF TESTING

Millers Issue Statement

There appeared to be some misunderstanding about the application of the Zeleny test, said the secretary of the New Zealand Flourmillers’ Society. Mr J. B Taylor, in a statement issued yesterday commenting on the meeting of wheat interests held in Timaru.

“The position is that millers must manufacture a flotir of a certain standard or baking quality tor public Consumption,” he said. “The Wheat Research Institute advised the New Zealand Flourmillers’ Society very shortly before Christmas that it would be possible for the institute expeditiously to test wheat samples by the Zeleny method and report on the baking quality of the flour that would be produced. The society then circularised all wheat brokers advising that the Zeleny report should be attached to ail wheat samples offered to mills.

“This should ensure that millers need purchase only suitable wheats and as the deputy chairman of the Wheat Committee, Mr R. McPherson, has told representatives of the society that in the past, millers, by purchasing undergrade wheat, have cost the Government money by way of subsidy and have let the Wheat Committee and other interested parties down, the society -decided

that the above action should be taken. “The society’s request is considered reasonable, and as the Wheat Research Institute states that it can give a very prompt service in testing, the co-opera-tion of the bakers and farmers will ensure that the handling of the harvest is not delayed. “There is no suggestion of changing the rules at the eleventh hour and the application of the test will ensure that millers receive what they pay for—wheat of the requisite standard for making good flour. “Wheat which is not of the necessary standard will still be purchased by millers and others for purposes other than flour manufacture,” said Mr Taylor.