BUTTER GRADING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 134, 29 February 1908, Page 3

BUTTER GRADING.

A BUYER'S OPINION A-few days ago Mr. J:- Kowm, .the wellknown abutter-buyer and representative l of "Messrs.. Lovell and Christmas,! courteously. .! 'submitted-?to-the ordeal of interview at tho ■ : hands; of -a representative, of tho Ministerial -and : expressed his views- on tho- .?. question 'of ..-butter- grading. . . Theseviews. ... gave ,tlio 'credit- for-: '.tiny - iihprovqnieht .'> in ,in'; New .Zealand Abutter ,tc>' tho-eiforts. • of tho butter workers as against the work of . tno/officials appointed by : the Government. • This-was. not palatable to • the.. Ministerial . organ/ which, lollowing its practico in such • circumstances,, tired- a broadside.of abuse.at tho gentleman whose opinions it had sought. :-.Mr. Ivowm-'s views-on the question-are of i ecogmsed value .and interest, and his reasons :for the.conclusions arrived-at,- whothor they bo right or wrong, aro at' least: worthy- oif • attention <and respect. ■ -Questioned on the , :sub]«;t.:by ,-a Dominion vroprosentative,, Mr. ..Kowin: freely stated his convictions. ' : Y'.j.You-still say; the .'grading system has not dono much '("■ inquired tho pressman. .. "Certainly. 'What has it.done?" / • lot is .claimed for .it.. -.It* has im-. -proved,tho quality of tho butter." > No v ; <:Thp factory -managers' have done that—men like Mr. est, Mr. Wesley Spragg- : ana: his managers (Messrs. Morris). ; Men of ■ that stamp have done practically all that has -. been done." • ■ , .'' The grading, goaded on?". • - " No.- ■ - Tho desire, to get 'top price in . Londou was what stimulated-them." • "Grading/helped them to get it?" - "Not at- all. Buyers in London do.their ■ own grading." ( • ' "iThey don't par high prices for butter .:■ becauso it is;marked .first grade?"- . . i" " .- " Nor. low/prices, jf.it is "marked second grado?" • / : .' " Certainly not. ' They taste and smell, for themselves,, and aro not influenced by notice •of-tho.New Zealand grade mark." ; 'Jt". ' First grado '.is.tho basis of 'contracts?" " VeS-;_ ; '- But -thero is always a . stipulation that ; ;if' it'is .not 'up to first":grade quality when it reaches, London . it can. bs. rejected.: So;-that:even:there the.grade mark is not of much account." .. . 7 ; . ; '' v.- . .-\- But,V grading.- has,■> Tat \ least,prevented '> .'really: : -.bad ; but-t6r." from reaching .London''- to iflppil'Our.Vi'eputatipn?":. 1 ;.. ;^' : That ! isvavvery. coinmon'beiiei :. But -it is a,'.complete,'fallacy.'. ~;'.Grading'prevents no : butter -.froa' l reaching London., , The grader. Bimnljr'marks it according-to.his idea of its i .quality;; and- sendsvit jalong.^.ltvgoes.Eome' ; //'even;,if iit' f isi : miid;"-'"And - that,;'of ••' cou'rsej' is I ■ tho "-'right 'thing'ft .'do. It', is: sold' on ,its : Theni 'tlio':grading 'system.'neither., helps ..nor.hindersVbusiness.at,Home?.'V':': That is so."i ■ >•' - hilvo- tho graders, done: no good at -i" They liavo dono abont-two .peri cent- of -.the good that has'-m'ade tho-industry .what it ■ -is; -The' other,.';;9S-,per'; : cent.i^^s.Veen;,the wpfk'ontiiely of.tho men;engaged- in'tho'in- ■ dnstry,-, who.have boon .ever/on .the; lookout '. • for ways of iinproving tlmir produce,? : ■-''< ; a .finding,generally. accurate ?" ••', r:.'.P" en is - marked ..''first"'grado,' '.is • of/secpnd .;grado .quality.;when- it gets 'Home; and vice-versa." , V • ■