STANDARDISED CHEESE

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 13 September 1930, Page 2

STANDARDISED CHEESE

“SHOULD BE ABOLISHED.”

NGAER.E SUPPLIERS’ OPINIONS

Following a discussion, on the merits of standaruSsation, the following resolution, was carried yesterday at the, an. uuai meeting of the Njgaeye Co-operat-ive Dairy Company yesterday: “That it is tlie considered opinion of this meeting that the system of standardisation be- abolished and that the' Dairy Divsion be asked to- amend its regulations accordingly. ’ ’ Referring to the effect of standardisation, Mr. H. O. Taylor (chairman of directors) said it was the most -serious problem before the dairy industry at the present time. It was not so much a- question as to whether' good standardised cheese could he made, hut whether the industry could overcome the prejud-

ee. against standardisation at Home. He had information to show that quite a. number of big buyers refused to handle standardised cheese at all, and he was convinced 1 that unless cream were skimmed with more: discrimination standardisation would have to go. “It is the quality of our cheese that will be the deciding factor on. the Home markets,” he added, “especially now that America has raised a tariff wall against Canadian cream, and our sister I Dominion can be expected to increase its exports to Great Britain accordingly.” For the present Ngaere was making full milk cheese, but the directors were watching the position very closely. Suppliers, of course, bad to realise that on Mr P. O. Veale’s estimate standardisation was worth from id to Id per lb fat to cheesemaking _ companies. On the other hand, advices to hand indicated that standardisation and waxing had caused a general fall in the price of New Zealand cheese of from 4s to. 8s per cwt. The immediate difficulty before the Ngaere Company was that it would be useless for it to take a. stand while the bulk of other companies continued to standardise. In reply to a question the chairman said be was personally convinced that the regulations allowing factories to skim down to 50 ner cent of fat in the dry weather during the early part of the season, and 52 per cent later on, allowed far too much latitude, and a great deal of shoddv cheese was made in comseciuence. “Unless the Dairy Division is prepared to reframe its. regulations to provide for less skimming, then I think standardisation is doomed.” lie said.

Mr J. Thomas, sem\, moved that the company revert to the manufacture of full cream cheese. “From what I can gather.” he said, “we are killing the English market and making an inferior cheese under standardisation.”

“If the milk were mine I would unhesitatingly make full cream cheese, but if we do so as a company we must be prepared to accept a lower payout.” said the chairman. After further discussion, Mr X. Jackson moved an amendment to the effect that the Dairy Division be recommended to abolish the whole system of standardisation. Mr Thomas withdrew his motion, whereupon Mr Harrison moved an amendment to Mr Jackson’s proposal, to the effect that the matter of making full cream cheese or standardised cheese he left to the directors. Mr Jackson’s motion was carried on a show of hands. _ Mr Harrison’s motion was then pnt and also carried.