TRADE WITH CANADA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVIII, 12 March 1914, Page 5

TRADE WITH CANADA.

PROSPECTS FOR. BUTTER

[PRESS ASSOCIATION’ TELEGRAM.! AUCKLAND, March 11. Mr "William Goodfellow, who represents huge dairying company interests in Auckland, has just returned from a trip to the United States cud Canada, where he has been investigating the prospects of trade expansion along general lines and. more particularly, the distribution of the articles to the consumer. As a result of his enquiries, Mr Goodfellow is impressed with the urgent necessity of a resident New Zealand Government agent at Vancouver and San Francisco to guard the 'nterests of Dominion shippers of frozen meat and butter and with the bright prospects of trade with Canada.. He points out that the United States can produce practicellv all the butter needed by its millions of inhabitants for nine "months of the year, while practically no butter is made in Canada for general consumption. Thus the New Zealand market, within 18 days of Vancouver, has every chance of real expansion in the middle west and in British Columbia. “At present New Zealand has practically the whole of the butter market in Vancouver,” said Mr Goodfellow, “and the excellent quality of the product is now generally recognised.” It was all classed on the Pacific Coast as first grade, so that the high standard set be maintained. The reputation of JTew Zealand butter was endangered most seriously by adulteration before it was placed on the Canadian market. In Vancouver the butter was blended with inferior brands from the Eastern provinces and sold as the best New Zealand'. Other firms were engaged in re-work-ing the butter and incorporating a great deal more than 16 per cent, of water. One firm, which was known to be making £o a day profit by adding water to New Zealand butter, had on various occasions been fined for a breach of the food laws, but supervision was most lax and as the fines never exceeded a week’s profits, the adulteration continued practically unchecked .

Mr G pod fellow is of the opinion that an expert examination on behalf- of the New Zealand Government, such as is made in London, would protect the trade. Large Australian firms have recently been investigating the market with a view to sending butter from the Commonwealth to the Pacific coast.

“Australia will ho able to place her product on the market on our reputation,” said Mr Goodfellow, “for the American has still the idea that New Zealand is a sort of a province of Australia.” Therefore it was that New Zealand should educate the market as to the superiority of the Dominion article.