DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 21 August 1924, Page 5

DAIRY INDUSTRY.

COMPULSORY CREAM GRADING. (By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) • WELLINGTON, Aug. 20. 1 A suggestion having been made that cream grading be compulsorily adopted in New Zealand, the Minister of Agriculture states that the subject of making the grading of cream compulsory has not been considered and discussed by the dairymen of New Zealand over a sufficiently long period to enable them to be yet fully conversant with the proposal. The grading of cream is already extending very considerably on a voluntary basis, and it is probable that by next winter the question of making cream grading generally compulsory will be fully discussed by the datry -companies. Departmental officers will be -taking all possible steps during the coming season to assist in still further raising the standard of quality of our dairy products. SHRINKAGE IN CHEESE.

There is no legislation under which the Government could take any action to ensure that merchants purchasing cheese from dairy companies shall pay on actual weight, states the Minister of Agriculture. Inquiries show that in instances where cheese comes direct from dairy factories the market weights usually correspond closely with actual weights. If, however, cheese has been crated for some time before delivery, and has lost weight to a sufficient extent to make an adjustment warrantable, _H is understood that the buyer is entitled to the benefit of such an adjustment. MILK CHEQUE ORDERS. A suggestion was recently made by Mi-. J. R. Corrigan (Patea) that the Government repeal the provision in the Stamp Act of last year under which it is held that orders on milk cheques are liable to stamp duty at the rate of 2s ner £IOO, instead of at a 2d rate as heretofore.

Dir. Massey replied : All orders are not liable to stamp duty. Where an order is a mere direction to pay and nothing more it is not liable', but where it amounts to an assignment of a debt it is liable to duty as conveyance. The proper course would therefore appear to be that the orders referred to should he so drawn as not to render them liable under the provisions of the Act. It is impossible to amend the provisions of the Act to exempt orders without also exempting other instruments which are properly liable to duty.