OVERSEAS BUTTER

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 127, 31 May 1928, Page 18

OVERSEAS BUTTER

TftE GROCER'S SHOP PRESERVATIVES ORDER PROTEST AND A REPLY (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 2nd March. A week or two ago the "Grocer" published an article which had for its object the removal of the restrictions with regard to preservatives in Australian and New Zealand butter. As was explained in a previous letter, this article was probably inspired by the blenders, who had fouud that Australian unsalted butter, which was also free from preservatives, was not so suitable for their purpose. A cablegram has since arrived from New Zealand protesting against the statements made, and in the last issue of the "Grocer" there is a letter over the signature of Sir James Parr, the High Commissioner. An extract or two from the original article in the "Grocer," he points out, had evidently been cabled to the Dominion, and had apparently created a great deal of misapprehension there. "As a similar misunderstanding might easily have arisen here," the High Commissioner continues, "it is desired to oii'er a word or two of explanation as to the position in regard to New Zealand butter. "In the first place, the article rightly states that butter from the colonies must be sent in refrigerators, but wrongly adds that unpreserved butter when defrosted never keeps good so long as butter which has never been frozen; that the finest delicate grass butters are produced in New Zealand and Australia over a longer period than any other butter-producing country, but that these do not keep so well as butters derived from stalled and winter-fed cattle. It then goes on to assert ('as proof of the disastrous effects the order will have upon the colonial trade') that for these reasons butter distributors are demanding Continental butters in preference to colonial. "Surely the assumption underlying this assertion is an erroneous one, and contrary to the experience of the trade. The system of manufacture of butters in the nearer Continental countries at any rate —which send the bulk of supplies of this description—adapt it for quick sale, and that is its principal recommendation. Supplies came forward twice a week and go straight into consumption. SWEEPING STATEMENTS. "While the same thing may not apply to Baltic butters, the great point -which should be stressed in all these cases is that, generally speaking, nobody thinks of keeping Continental butter if it can be avoided. The quotation of prices ruling this year as compared with last is therefore entirely beside the point; the differences have not" the slightest connection with the effects of the Preservatives Order, but are due entirely to market and supply conditions, and so far as New Zealand is concerned our producers have no reiison to fear the effect of the Preservatives Order. "Later on the article make reference to the fact that some colonial factories have in the past sent butters to the British market free from preservatives, and goes on to say that unpreserved butter docs keep good in cold store, but not as well as preserved. Here, again, I desire most strongly to dissociate Now Zealand butter from this sweeping statement. Many New Zealand factories have never used preservatives, and their butter has given .satisfaction to all who have handled it for twenty years past. It may be news to some if I state what is a fact, that long before the Preservatives Order was promulgated not more than 25 per cent, of our factories used preservatives, and many of those that did so only adopted the practice at the request of those at this end.' "The year before the order came into existence a careful census was taken in the Dominion, and it was found that 85 pel' cent, of the total butter manufactured was without preservatives. Careful research has been goinpr on over a series of years, with the result that when it was seen that the order would go through, all the New Zealand factories were able to turn out ;i product which, while containing no preservatives, still possessed the ■well-known storage and keeping properties that have always been associated with .the Dominion's butter. "It is absolutely wrong to infer—as is done, at the close of the article—that colonial butters (in which description New Zealmul must of necessity bulk largely) rapidly deteriorate after bemp: taken out of cold storage, and that this can only be satisfactorily prevented by the. use of preservative. APPEAL TO DISTRIBUTORS. "The figures I have quoted above should remove any apprehension on this point, and I am confident that the majority of traders will support me when I assert that there is no butter that will stand 'knocking about' in the same way that New Zealand butter will—it will hold up in store, and out of store, better than any other butter in the world. This reputation has been gained over a period of many years with butter that lias, in the main, been entirely free from preservatives, and now that all our supplies are made in conformity with the Preservatives Order, there need be no fcav of any' disastrous effect of v the Order upon our trade. "So far as the New Zealand producers are concerned, they have none, and I am confident that the great bulk of Ihc trade here are equally complaisant. The idea that 'Continental butter-producing countries will reap a glorious harvest' at our expense is a bogey of which nobody, cither in the Dominion or at this end, will be in the least frightened. "I have referred. to the ability of our product to stand up under all sorts of conditions, and in closing should like to appeal to all those who handle New Zealand butter to do their best to see that it reaches the consumer in the best possible condition. "I am rather afraid that its wonderful keeping qualities sometimes lead to liberties being taken with it, and that it is stored and exposed for sale under conditions that are not always by any means

ideal. The new policy of the New Zealand Dairy Producers' Board is to see that the butter comes forward and is sold with a minimum of delay. I should like to feel that this was appreciated, and that the effort will have the backing of ' everyone through whose hands the butter has to pass on its way to the consumers' table. "Wo are doing our best; will traders of the Mother Country do the same? We can 'deliver the goods/ and if they distribute them in the best possible manner, neither they nor we need have the slightest fear of any adverse effect of the preservatives legislation." EDITOR'S COMMENTS. The editor's comment on this letter is as follows: — "We gladly give publicity to the views of the High Commissioner, but it is evident that he has not consulted those members of the trade who have the greatest "experience as to the keeping qualities of butter, namely, the retailers and those who distribute butter in small quantities to the retail trade, and have to handle and deal with it after it leaves the cold stores. The writer of the article referred to obtained his facts from a number of the largest distributors, and also from retailers. The following are the points in^ the article with which the High Commissioner disagrees:— "1. That unpreserved frozen bulter never keeps good so long as butter which has never been frozen. "2. That the finest delicate grass butters do not keep good as long as the wintermade butters, both being unpreserved. "3. That butter distributors are demanding Continental butters for reasons in points 1 and 2. "4. That the relative high prices ruling now for Continental butters as compared with those of last year are in any way due to the Preservatives Order. "5. That unpreserved butter does not keep so well in cold store as that containing preservative. "6. That unpreserved butter rapidly de J teriorates after leaving the cold stores. "Regarding points 1, 2, 5, and 6, these facts are so generally known, especially to retailers and distributors who handle unsalted butters, that it is only necessary to advise the High Commissioner to obtain information from these sources. "As regards poiiits 3 and 4, here, again, inquiries in the right direction will probably alter-the High Commissioner's views. We suggest that the most reliable information can be obtained from importers of Continental butters, and also from distributors. "Our object in publishing the article in question was to point out the harm which we believe is certain to be done to colonial butters by the preservatives regulations; and further information obtained this week only confirms our view that unless this Order is annulled or amended, the Continent will benefit aud the colonies consequently suffer."