The Hawera Star. WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1925. THE GRADING OF CHEESE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 1 July 1925, Page 6

The Hawera Star.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1925. THE GRADING OF CHEESE.

Delivered erery evening by 5 o’clock *u Hawera, Manaia, Norr.ianby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Alton. Hurleyvillc, Patea, Waverley, Mokoia, Wliakamara, Obangai. Meremere, Fraser Road, a;i Ararata.

It. is common knowledge that he who aims at a .star will shoot higher than ho who takes sight only for the mountain tops. Therefore it is not altogether surprising—although it must be very gratifying to all connected with the dairying industry-—that the "fleer of raising the first-class minimum in the grading of New Zealand butter and cheese has been to increase the percentage of the output qualifying for first grade. Assuming that the higher the grade the better our produce commend,s itself to the consumer overseas, the result of this improved quality should be apparent in a heightened demand for New Zealand’s export of both cheese and butter . Hut—still assuming that the grade notes are a true guide to quality —the position with regal'd to certain of the Taranaki cheese factories, and particularly some in South Taranaki, according to what -Mr. W. AI Singleton told delegates to the N.D.A. conference yesterday, is by no means so satisfactory. It was most Unfortunate that Mr. Singleton’s address should have come at the end of a full clay, for the truly startling figures which lie quoted—and which we print, on page two of this issue—should have been it ho subject of comment from the meeting. When producers say they wish 1o turn out a highquality article, they mean an article which will be clean and pure, and especially one which will commend itself to the consumer. Indeed, the consumer is the final arbiter as regards cleanliness and purity, too; so that, to the producer, “quality” becomes the embodiment of the consumer’s taste. Now, our grading system either is or is not based upon that standard. Jf it is, then that, factory which makes a low-grade cheese is damaging the reputation of the Dominion for'a highclass article. if, oh the other hand the cheese graded highest is not the cheese sought after by the Home consinner, then surely it is time to think about a change in the'grading system. There is a section of the industry opposed to the methods adopted by the graders; but no proof has been put forward that the graders iaro wrong. If, however, the N.D.A. wishes its members to get full value for their product and their labour, it ought to investigate the position, decide what are the right lines to go upon, and endeavour to follow them.