CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 26 August 1924, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE.

BUTTER, AND CHEESE GRADING

(To the Editor.)

Sir,— Kindly allow me space to congratulate Factory Manager on hie attempt of trying to arouse interest amongst the dairy companies on the above subject; also to add a tew remarks in support of Factory Manager. With regard to raising the standard from 88 to 90, it does not seem to he justified in grading cheese, but with butter it is a different matter. However. the point that I want to remark on mostly is the high graded cheese. Take the Kakaramea and Pi ham a. Dairy Companies for an example. Kakaramea. bad cheese graded up to 90, while Pihama had 93i and probably 9-i, and their main factory actually topped the Dominion for average grade, yet these two companies did not have the highest pay-outs. So you will see that high grading is not to the farmers’ benefit. Surely this is a matter that the Dairy Control Board could well take up. seeing that they have a delegation abroad at the present time. They could get first hand information as to what sort of cheese was really wanted by the consumer at Home. Re brands for cheese, I notice where the chairman of the Kakaramea Company says that they should have the superfine brand, the same as the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co., and then they would get 4d or od more than the lower graded produce. Now. sir. that is entirely wrong. If this high graded cheese was branded superfine it would simply be telling the merchants and retailers at Home that here is a line of dry, brittle cheese—just what we don’t want —and consequently they are going to give less for it. t may 'be mistaken, but 1 have always taken it that the New Zealand Co-operative Company only use superfine when grading butter. Surely no one would think of branding superfine on an article that the consumers consider inferior. \\ hy should the graders go on giving 94 or 9d points for a cheese if it is against the liking of the consumer. and also. a. detriment to the sale of same cheese? Now, this is a matter the directors of the dairy companies should take up in a real live manner before the present season gets too far advanced. Thanking von, Mr. Editor, for space.—l am, etc.'. SHA R EMILKER, Pihama.