GRADING OF CREAM

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 125, 29 May 1928, Page 11

GRADING OF CREAM

PRESENT SYSTEM FAVOURED (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post") AUCKLAND, This Day. Representatives of the North Auckland dairy companies have expressed opposition to any alteration of the basis upon which cream is graded. The matter was raised at tho North Auckland Dairy Conference by Mr. W. M. Singleton, Director of the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture. Mr. Singleton said the suggestion had been made in some quarters that the present system1 of compulsory grading, which came into force in 1926, and provided for differential payment for the finest and first and, second grades of cream, should be discarded in favour of a two-grade system which obtained previously. - As it was likely the matter would be brought up at future conferences in the near future, he thought it advisable that the conference should express an opinion as to the desirability of continuing the present sysjtem. The Dairy Division considered the present system admirable and in the best interests of. the industry. Mr., W. Grounds, chairman of tho Dairy Produce Board, said that in view of the enormous improvement in the quality of tho butter manufactured in New Zealand since the introduction of the three-grade system, any reversion to the old system must be regarded as a retrograde step. During the six months of the present season no less than 79.84 per cent, of butter manufactured in New Zealand was finest grade, 19.23 per cent, was first grade, and only .93 per cent, was second grade. This result could be directly attributed to the financial incentive provided by differential payment. It could be confidently anticipated that under the continuance of the system nearly all the Now Zealand butter would ■be of the finest grade. Other speakers concurred in this view, and a resolution expressing opposition to any change in the grading system was carried unanimously.