CHEESE TROUBLES

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 218, 11 June 1930, Page 7

CHEESE TROUBLES

MR. VEALE’S DIAGNOSIS ENDORSED BY MANAGERS By Telegraph.—Press Association. Hawera, June 10. A conference of Taranaki cheese factory managers, held In committee, endorsed Mr. P. O. Veale’s diagnosis of the ills affecting cheese quality, and supported the chief reforms he advocated in his recent report on openness in cheese. It was agreed that the chief causes of loss of quality were abuse of standardisation, the imparting of too much moisture due to the "race for yield,” and not devoting the requisite time to manufacture, on account principally of the lateness of suppliers in delivering their milk to the factories. The scientist’s recommendation of the adoption of a premium for the finest grade was unanimously endorsed. It was emphasised that such a premium must be adequate so it would be more profitable for the factory to strive for the finest grade, and not be content with a high yield.

It was agreed that a universal and compulsory system of milk grading should be introduced with differential payments to the supplier, and that no change was necessary in the hours of labour, as the managers could make arrangements with their staffs and hours as at present provided so long as milk was delivered promptly and In good condition. ~ The consensus of opinion in regard to waxing was that all New Zealand cheese was too moist for waxing. It was further agreed that if a premium could not be established waxing should be abolished. The provision of boiling water by a factory to the supplier was condemned utterly by the meeting. There was a mixed discussion on the subject of standardisation, w the preponderance of opinion being that large proportions of skimmed milk affected flavour detrimentally. On account of the difficulty of enforcing the regulations .limiting, the percentage of skimmed milk it was agreed that nothing could be done in this connection. The meeting agreed that low test milk should be encouraged by some new system of payment based on fat and casein. The ijecommendations are to be referred to a conference of all Taranaki dairy factory directors on Friday, when efforts will be made to arrive at definite conclusions for submission to a Dominion conference at Hamilton at the end of the month.