OLD QUESTION UP AGAIN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1109, 24 April 1911, Page 8

OLD QUESTION UP AGAIN.

"WATER-LOGGED BUTTER. About sis weeks ago rumours ivere current to the rft'ect that London , handler?, were complaining ri the (juality of New Zealand butter. "Writing at the time "Tho Grocer" (London) said:— "Years ago, before it was subjected to tin? operations of manipulators or 'lakers,' -New Zealand butter enjoyed the reputation of ]yiizs one of tlu , best butlers, and one containing the lowest percentage of moisture, obtainable on Hie English market. Later, however, notably two years ogo, there was an evident intention on the part of many of the producers to work as closely as possible to tho 1U per cent limit for moisture, and complaints were made that in some instances that limit was exceeded. Protests brought about an improvement last reason, but members of the trade in tho United Kingdom are again complaining that some of tho New Zealand butters contain an unnecessarily high percentage of water and are 'fishy!' AVe hope that the Xew Zealand authorities will deal with the complaints promptly and effectually. New Zealand enjoys facilities for the production of butter of the finest possible quality, and many of the brauls reachin,!; our marlyets are characterised, by unusual merits, the result of strict supervision in production, luxuriant pasturage and natural feeding of the cattle under' proper, open' conditions. Provision is made for the.'butter to b? in cold store from Iho time it leaves the dairy until ifc reaches the British market, and NewZealand farmers would be foolish to jeopardise their reputation further by strivingto work too closely to tho. 1C per' cent moisture limit, as they may have linen narrinned for doing when 'fakers' in the United Kingdom were 'water-logging' their produce, and, for the purposes of illicit gain, increasing the moisture content from 8 or 10 to 23 per cent. A. reputation is easily lost, but would be regained with difficulty."