NEW ZEALAND BUTTER

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 30, 4 August 1923, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER

THE AUSTRALIAN COMPLAINTS.

Reports were current in Melbourne at the beginning of the week (states "The Australasian" of 28th July) that a large quantity of butter which had arrived from New Zealand had been held in' abeyance by tho Customs officials, and that complaint had been made regarding the action of the Department. As usual in a case of the kind, the position was exaggerated. The quantity of butter was of much smaller volume than had been rumoured; and it cannot be said that exception was taken to tho action of the officials. The Act governing the standard quality of butter manufactured in Victoria provides that butter-fat contents shall not be less than 82 per cent., and moisture contents not more than 16 per cent. In New Zealand the minimum butter-fat contents is 80 per cent. It is because of the regulations permitting a lower standard in the Dominion that some Australian importers of New Zealand butter consider that, in the circumstances, no obstacles should be placed in the %vay of their obtaining delivery. Portion of a shipment of butter received in Sydney from New Zealand last week also proved to be below Australian standard. As manufacturers are not permitted to market their butter which does not conform to the regulations, the Customs authorities should rigidly exercise their powers in regard to imported supplies. Healthy competition should be welcomed. Were the Department lax in respect of inspecting and testing butter from beyond the Commonwealth, it would be unfair to Australian producers.