DAIRY PRODUCE TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1184, 20 July 1911, Page 8

DAIRY PRODUCE TRADE.

ENGLISH EXPERT'S VIEWS. •Jfr. W. F. Crichton, who if paying a short visit to Now 'Zealand in the interests nf Messrs. W. Wcddcl .ami Co., Ltd., pro- 1 (luce merchants, Loiulpn, passed through Wellington yesterday morning. Mr. 1 Oriclilon is nil ex-secretary of Ihc Danish Mutter Committee, and was one of a deputation which wont to Copenhagen sonic time ago with regard to the official quotation, which, ho says, is recognised as having effect upon the butter markets of the world. Low Prices. In an interview with a Dominion reporter, Mr. Crichton said that he attributed the rather low prices for colonial butter last year to tho big increase in supplies from Australia, and also to the industrial world in Britain having passed through one of the worst years oil record. Ho was stationed in Manchester, and as a director of one of the largest cotton-, spinning companies of Great Britain, was closely in touch with industrial affairs. Just before' he sailed from England there was every indication of the textile, trade being kept very busy next season. Within a radius of fifty miles of Manchester there were 15,000,000 people mostly employed in tho textile and allied trades, so it could be readily understood' that when, the cotton trade was quiet the consumption of butter became curtailed. Last year the mills were all on short time. Uninterrupted Supplies Wanted. He stated that New Zealand butter was introduced to buyers who had previously handled nothing but Scandinavian butter (Danish, Swedish, and Finnish). The reputation of New Zealand butter in ttie North of England (the citadel of Danish) had been improved. "I am confident, he continued, "that the good name established last season by introducing the butter practically to the man who cut it up into pounds and half-pounds will result in 'greater trade being done.next season. ■It is a pity we could not get supplies all the year round, as in this way we could keep, the Scandinaviv.i butters out, but at present, with. New Zealand butter coming only half the seasan.it means getting the buyeis off Danish and Swedish at tho commencement of each season. In many cases a,little less has to be accepted to induce buyers to leave Danish and Swedish,, and go on to New Zealand. . "Another thing which will help the sale of New - Zealand .next , year is that there is a demand springing im m Europe. Germany, which used to bo on the" butter export lift, is now importing in large quantities, and as the industrial world of that country increases (as it is hound to) tho importation will liecomo larger and larger. The same applies to other Continental countries." Mr. Crichton said that his firm had already had many inquiries from tho Continent for New Zealand butter. Tho Qualities of butter.

"There has been a good deal of talk about tho difference between tho prices of Danish and Now Zealand butters realise at Home," lie continued. "Undoubtedly many of the Now Zealand brands are" equal in quality to the best Danish, but I don't think it is possible (qualities being equal at shipment) for a butter which has to' undergo a six weeks' journey, even in the refrigerators, to turn out in as good condition as butter which can be made and eaten within ten days dr two weeks. Danish butter can be made on Monday, shipped to Great Britain on Thursday, and retailed on the following Monday; and this-can go on 52 weeks of the year as regularly as clockwork."

Fishiness in Danish, Too. Last year, said Mr. Crichton, there had been many complaints against Danish— .imilar complaints to those made against New Zealand. But, unfortunately for New Zealand, many buyers were practically weddfd lo Danish, and the complaints did not interfere with the prices of Danish to the same extent as they did with the prices of New Zealand. An exnlanation given of the bad quality in Danish was that the previous winter being a very mild one the stock of ice bad given out, and many of the factories had continued making the butter without resorting lo tho aid of artificial ice. "It will be of interest to New Zealanders to know that fishiness has occurred in Dan•'ish' as well as iii New Zealand butter. I'lioro has been-a suspicion (hat butter has at times been stored for some time prior to shipment. On it being pointed out to me that butter stored in New Zealand does not develop fishiness, I said I could not understand this, and asked if it was really the ease that New Zealand butter had been stored at the same temperature as that observed on the steamers and had come out clean in flavour." Othor Comparisons. As regarded the colour of butter, Mr. Crichton said that it was a mistake to think that Danish was of a uniform colour all the year round. Their newgrass butter was high coloured, but one thing against the colour of New Zealand was that tlio height of tho colour arrived in Britain in the autumn of the Danish when the colour of the.latter was polo. The texture of most of the New Zealand butter was throughout the season very similar to that of Danish. The New Zealand makes, ho thought, contained a point or two more moisture than tho Daiiisli. '

Speaking of the Danish system of distribution. lie said that a good method adopted by tho tlanes was that a firm would not buy the butter, but simply act as agents for the various dairy companies. In this way, he claimed, the highest price was obtained for the produce. as the agent's interest was to obtain tho highest price, so tliat factories would be able to retain their supplies by paying them tho highest price. Good Future for Cheese. Mr. Crichton, who claims to have had considerable experience in tho Canadian cheese trade, speaks very highly of New Zealand chceso. Last year buyers who did not know New Zealand cheese had been induced to take samples, and had bean surprised at the excellent quality. Tho quality was equal in every respect to tho finest Canadian made in the Brockville and Bellvillc districts, the two best cheeso districts in Canada. Tn certain parts of Great Britain whero Canadian used to hold sway, a soft, silky cheeso was wanted. Many of the Now' Zealand brands liatl hem sent along a little bit green, but when (hey matured they were exae.tly the kind of cheese wanted. He thinks that perhaps New Zealand cheeso is carried to Endnml at a little too high a temperature. With cheese as well as butter, it was important that supplies should be available nil the year round. Cheeso was not at such a disadvantage in this respect, as butter, because it wo.s shippod for practically nine months of tho year. But tho little gap' made it very difficult to pet the real value when at the opening of the soa-n>i they had lo displace Canadian. With regard lo cheese arriving in England n. little too hard, it had been pointed out to Mm that some had advocated nutting more moisture in tho article. This he thought was a mistake. Tho 'season before last the carrying temperature was to . r >s degrees, and there were complaints of the cheeso lieing 100 moist on arrival. Last season the temperature was 45 to 50 defrees. and the cheese arrived ton hard. IHe thought that a temperature in beI tween those stated would bring about the desired result.

31r. Ernest' Short lias accepted the position of delegate of the A. and P? Association to tho Clydesdale Society's Conference at Dunedin. Mr. Geo. T\ Ellis declined a similar appointment, while expressing sympathy with the movement. Mr. Hugh Giilics" was appointed delegatci with Mr. Short.