SHIPMENT OF PRODUCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 70455, 5 October 1900, Page 4

SHIPMENT OF PRODUCE.

In a recent circular, portion of -which was published in our Farm and Dairy Notes, Mr J. A. Kinsella, Dairy Commissioner, says : — On tho despatch of cheese from the factory or dairy, the grader at the port of shipment must be immediately advised as to the number of packages, weights, registered number, and brands. All such cheese must be at the port of shipment one clear day before departure of steamer, so as to allow an examination to be made by the grader. This will be strictly adhered to, it having been found impossible for the grader to examine cheese arriving late at night for shipment by steamer sailing the following morning, as was frequently the case last season. ■ All shipments so arriving will be liable to be held over at owner's risk until the following steamer. The department will strictly enforce the regulations under the Dairy Industry Act relating to forwarding and advice to grader,' also the provisions of the Act requiring all dairy produce to be inspected before leaving the colony. In order to facilitate the work, and to allow a uniform sampling and cheeking of weights of the whole parcel, each day's make should as far as | possible be stowed on the railway trucks separately. Advice notes may be obtained from the Government Printer, Wellington, in books of one hundred, at one shilling per book. The date and number of vat must be marked on each day's make of cheese. This is of importance, so as to enable the grader to make a uniform sampling of the whole of the parcel, also that he may check the weights of the newer dates as well as those of the older ones. In some instances (Jheese was forwarded last season to the cool-stores at Moturoa every few days. Such cheese was often nothing short of curd, the curing process not having commenced. This is a serious mistake on the part of the f actory, for where a gain of a pound in weight is obtained it is lost in quality ; the curing process is checked, the cheese is placed on board the Home steamers, and arrives at its destination in an uncured condition. All cheese should remain in the curing-rooms for at least fifteen days, and none will be accepted at the cool-stores unless fit for shipment. This will mean that factories which were shipping uncured or green cheese last season will require to provide more curmg-room space. With the previous consent of the grader at the port of shipment, odd small lots of cheese awaiting shipment, or cheese which has been outshipped, may be sent to the appointed cool-store. As storage-space is limited, no cheese will be accepted which can be sent direct to the ship's side, except as above stated. In the case of cheese intended for export being sent to the cool-store, and subsequently withdrawn for local consumption, the full storage charge will be made. Large shipments of cheese for consumption in the colony, shipped coastwise, may pass through the cool-store, where it will be handled and graded similarly to cheese for export. If, however, shipments of this class are allowed to remain in store for more than three days, the full storage charge will be made. Produce -must not be removed from the store without the consent of the Government Grader in charge. No produce will be allowed to leave the colony without being inspected and graded by a Government Grader.