AUSTRALIAN BUTTER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 625, 30 September 1909, Page 10

AUSTRALIAN BUTTER.

: 'w ; ' l ':'l VIEWS. OP ■ Mr. J. G. Harknoss (secrbtary'-.bf the' Na-, tional Dairy- Association: '6f.the North Island)' when 'free from his duties atf the' Chamber of Commerce- Conference iii Australia,, on his recent 'visit,/ turned his attention ;,to dairying matters in He told a. Dominion reporter, yesterday : that - Australians were • expecting an exceedingly good soasoil: and! probably a record output. Ho stated-, that'ho had .visitedSonoVof tho. best dairying;districts of; Victoria—tho Western Districts/;,about .100. miles from Melbourne. The; .dairy', herds thoro. were/ in capital '-condition-'- and' showed everyprospect a good season and-an abundant -supply, of milk. .-./■.'. ... ;, •' .-■.- .. /. '.'■-. .-.When.in Melbourne, Mr. Harkness had an interview';with-the-Hon.- Mr. Graham, Minister for Agriculture/and discussed'the moisture in butter, ..'grading, systems and. other matters./ The marking -or grading of export' butter in Victoria (said' Mr. Harkiess) differs' from the New Zealand system, for it is not compulsory. "It .is quite optional with the exporter to'havohis butter ■gra'ded or not. :"■ :■'■ Is'-, it" not'.becoming indispensable through .force "of» custom? -, ;''. ' ■■'■: "Spnieoxporters stilTdo not.-trpuble to have tho butter graded. In my .interview, with the' Minister tho chief topic of .conversation to which:' I asked his attention was compulsory grading. 'That, policy finds', grctit opposition among tho" dairying - interests "iri^' : Australia.; But lis we, in New Zealand,'lhavp'-.a complete system of-grading 'dairy pio'dnce^a'system; which is uphold by the dairy'factories—we con-; sidor-it'..would bo only right,;-.'and ".also to the interest of'-ourselves and the -Commonwealth,-, if grading 'were'compulsory".there also. Wo dop not look upon the Australians fas rivals to' ■US." ... '. : : "' / ■ ." ■ '•■''' ~*, ''-. -.'- .. ,;1 What was the-intention of the'resolution' .at k ;the,recent Produco Conferprice.'with,.refer,'encd'to'Tegiila'tihg' the-oiitput to''p¥cveht"'bpcrd : tions of .speculators? . -.'■.-■'/ '■•; ■ : , "'Well,; the associations of factories over half a dozen of: these groups .alto'gether-jcqntrpl to -a' very'/ large/ extent the' -bfWiiCß.'expbrt'.tfailij... of 'Victoria',. -New South .Wales,', .and '. Queensland. V/.'And" they-, hold , strongly 'to'.the view that.' it Js safest' and best policy over a period of .'years to 'consign/, their /produce /for sato-'.'on' the 1 English' market under supervision. - : Over a period 'of..years.they, have found; that course gave tho /best a'v.brago-.-results." These .groups also/control; the local market. throughout tho year. -Winter dairying is done rather largely in Australia. ■ There is very little Ibuttor' stored for the winter .trade." V •;•.-.:-.;'(; -•■>' ■. -.-In: what 'way, would the output be'regulated?- By. storage in Australia?iT." v. ' '■:''' |'„";The,.butter; would 'go ;forwaraV'and':be -held' ,byVthb;.-representatives, -,? .'■•';■:,'":•-'. -Does it concern, New .Zealand factories? 'Do .you. ; propose /to, call a meeting, of'factories/tb' discuss ; it? : ■.'.•.--'■■,'■'■■*-'. ... /-..,.': " No.. - There is no .such 'iiatention." . ■'; '"v .-'