BUTTER AND CHEESE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 11110, 6 May 1911, Page 7

BUTTER AND CHEESE.

p. , WHY DO PRICES VARY? SOME EXPORT TROUBLES. LIBELLOUS CIRCULARS. A deputation from tho National Dairy Association yesterday interviewed the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. T. Mackenzie) in regard to matters concerning tho marketing and sale of Now Zealand butter in London. Mr. Cuddio (Dairy Commissioner) was also present. A Question of Grading. Mr. A. M'Farlano (president of tho National Dairy Association) said that at a meeting of the association last month it was decided, owing to the numerous complaints that had been received regarding New Zealand butter in London, to bring before the Minister the necessity for appointing at Homo an unbiased man who was an expert. The factories in tho Dominion had gone in for pasteurisation expecting to reach tho prices that were being paid tor Danish butter, but they were now as far away from that ideal as ever. Tho Minister: "You arc within 2s. a cwt. of tho Danish." Mr./M'Farldnc: "Only at present." They were satisfied, he added, with the grade, which reached from 93 to 94 at this end; and when complaints came from their agents at Home about fishiness they wanted t<) know at which end the butter had gone off. He proceeded to quote from circulars of tho AngloContinental Product* Co., Ltd.. Tooley Street, London, to show what was being done .to foster the interests of other countries in the butter market. One circular, after eulogising the Australian butter, proceeded :—"After the many complaints of fishiness and other defects in the New Zealand butter arriving now, we especially recommend the above-named fine Victorian brands." Another circular from tho same firm contained tho following reference: — "Tho quality of. the New Zealand butter is each steamer worse than the previous one, and buyers arc turning their attention to the best brands of Victorian." An Alleged Libel. Mr. M'Farlane also drew tho attention of the Minister to the fact that Now Zealand butter was being libelled. What they wanted to know, however, was how that 2s. he had referred to could be saved. In reply to a remark by the Minister, he said that tho man representing tho country at Home, at present was not an expert in regard to tho manufacture of butter, but only in respect to the commercial side. About Choose. Mr. W. Fisher (a member of the Executive of tho Association, and chairman of tho Taratahi Dairy Gompany) spoke in regard to the cheese sent Home. Ho drew attention to the variance in tho report of the cheese when' it reached Homo to what was given here. Sometimes tho report at this end was "moderate," and when the shipment reached England the experts thero pronounced it "good." The reverse experience also occurred. Tho question was: Were the graders at Homo giving a fair and accurato report, or were they biased ? Somo of tho factory managers complained that tho graders here did not grado on tho proper lines. The Minister Sympathetic. . The Minister, replying, said in regard ~to the'general question of, sending a " man 1 "Home,' or appointing a man, he had been giving a good deal of attention to it, and about the middle of last month tho Department had practically decided to endeavour to secure a man for tho purpose. Of course, the approval of Cabinet would bo necessary. There was a good deal in what tho deputation said under this head. A qualified man, who was absolutely independent of all employers' and sellers' influences, was wanted, and who could adviso tho country as to the actual condition of the output when it arrived at Home. As to its subsequent development, or deterioration, that was quite another thing- Ihe Department had been doing a good deal during tho last twelve months to advance manufacturers' interests. Last year tho sum of £11,000 had been spent indirectly for the industry, but it was not begrudged at all. The manufacturers had lent their assistance in pasteurising tho milk. Tho officers in tho Department, notably Mr. Cooper, had, in that, they thought, solved tho difficulty. This year's butter export, on the'total results, was tho best ever oxperienced in New Zealand. , Tho points raised by Mr. Fisher were well worthy of inquiry, though it was satisfactory to know that our cheese was occupying a good position on the market, and bringing sixty-two shillings. As to the point raised about the Anglo-Oon-tinental Company's circulars, ho had been in communication with the High Commissioner, and ho knew exactly what the situation was. The Government were leaving it to tho High Commissioner to deal with. If the statements were not libellous they ought to be. (Hear, hear.) A Previous Case. The same sort of thing had occurred before in connection with tho meat trade, when ho (tho Minister) had been at Home. A' statement had been made in the Commons that tho Now Zealand meat would' givo cancer to tho people. Even then it was with tho utmost difficulty that he had been able to get the London papers to tako the matter up, and he was only able to do so by reason of his personal friendship with tho editor of 'the "Standard." An amendment of the British law was probably necessary. The only way to deal with a lot that went on at Homo in regard to our produce was by publicly denouncing mal-practices. . Mr. Cuddie, ho added, was also in favour of a qualified expert being stationed at Home, and he (tho Minister) intended to recommend tho Government to select the best man available. Mr. M'Farlane said a suggestion was to havo a date stamp on the butter, so that if any butter were kept on tho market for some time its ago could lm traced in the event of complaints as to quality.