NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 6 May 1911, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

QUALITY OF THIS SEASON'S MAKE.

CHIEF ti^IRY COMMISSIONER'S |# VIEWS. -gv ft: *: * * » "v ¥;>■ &&J&& ,ip[)ort^^pl^|i^tif)^.<)n quamy . :-Nev|£'Zesj|nd $|ftter", are toa<fe^by |& ChiSriDa^.Coiii^iss^ner, Mr-^p.- CfipidtG, the '^q^lpaJl. Q^:^h^^epal|^en^|§pf made in*- trade circles' in i-egardV to "fishiness" in New Zealand butter this season. These complaints have been given publicity in the Australian Press, although few complaints have heen^made^to the Dairy t Diyisipns On ceived communications from the home mark«t--^ c(.ualrfcy. of which was unsatisfactory for several years past, have this season,, by Ireaiißiß-:"^I--TO^:Mbption"^F^iEWi¥eur-isation, proved....pf,, greatly improved quality,..and have, .o^:ingjjbo._La..paler color, du,e.,tp the; use, of;, the churn,' "been' most satisfactory "to' the trade in (general. ThisJEas^fuily borne Alltjthe'bpin'ion' formed'at this end 6 s t%.tjhe season's quality *fn general. , VALUE OF PA^TEUBISATfON. .."I have," says Mr,Guddiej. "periodically , visited the grading .stores in order to_note;ithe effect o£ thß Jgtengral jadti-pi tion of ' L past^uriisatipnj and to ajra ;■: it has been, palpable that it has,ha.d the effect .p^eoticted when^,factories'., were first ur|ed" to take up this means'of overcoming flavor-defects. The opinion OTf<:the graders..,agrees Vith my own. Individual members'--of ;-f th© grading slafj hay reported that some of the best bui^er -that lxaf: ffver -left^this;- country has rJbeen exj>6Vtea 'this; yeatj- Alt may be well at this' juncture t6 me'iition \yhy this division advocated pasteurjsatiott rso stronglyf-in : recent seasons. ;When I-'-was in JEbn'd6ri' in the height of the butter season of 1907r8v»I';>£Qund, «|tiring the three montiis J. spen,t/,iii in,T vestigating thg-jmarketing.of New. Zear land dairy prpduee^ that 'fishiness' was ve^y i prey.alent...in many brands of our Ijratjfcer;. . I£Lsas_...this._..espjeriencei. .thai; conyinced me of;;tWj.urgent necessity of pas^urisjation.,-' It;jsv.signincan^.ithat OTactica-iry ; nothing i whs'' heard,, ipj: .Nev{ Zealand of this 'unsatisfkctpry select, at that time:, ith'ough'^nerchanW, at Ho'm6 freely ~p%^ed that....lfi§hiness',,Fas-never more general^. ,"That'season^ howeyerj the' matkeHiwas 'particulairly buoyant^it was('the csea^6n- 1 oiir lbtitter soared1 to 150s,1 wherea^ thi^easbn M& AMket-^^s-'^een'i'#i^fc^kiidf^feappoiint-ingl. Then"any"Quality' chang^r^a^ds without criticismv-Toia'ay, witfe^an'ito-prdved-product;; criticism' is^^! apparently cpßjimoniv "If -is' ohe of"* the peculiarities of ( the: London butter market,!^ b>-the way,^ :tliai,'i> 'fishiriess' develops^: with singular rapidity ;when=sthe,'deman<l:;is weak. -~ Of ;cpursc>j it has, to: be xemembered ,tha,t, on a strong market the butier s moves off rapidlyj and any weakness has little._time to develop to—a.bad M^g? :' .>w?iereas on, a -weak market -the tendency, ; i« to, hold stocks,, apd this frequently at an .unfavorable tenrpe^aT ,e * P th -$i e »a*wral,^sult th^t any Weakness, has every opportunity p$ becoming more :pronounce<i. There (i§ httle doubt,that some of the butters toun£ ffaultswith,have'.been for Several weeks on] the market,nand consequently Wnder. .ordinary circumstances . would E°l he, tin quality. /CflfpTtunately,. tne, ultimate,., purchasers,; lirom whom,; coinplairits are "mostly received, are not awate of thViagfe of %he butter: ■*■: r.' Hil ,fiiTE 7 sTAMpiNG;;:'''; : n* { , , "This opens up the important question of- the-date-stamping -of-- export s b«tter •'noV only ks a-prote'ction to th© "shipper ' and' the purchaser,- 'but '.to the gra-diiig" system."Oppotients of •a, compulsory system :>of • State bradino' seize upon :■ the; complaints ndw '- being circulated against ourvbutter-as 'an ■«ttectiy© taigument .against ; the system jA date-stamp, as part of the ordinary, grade-mark, would prevent this. Of 'course, date-stamping; would be,opposed ; by a certain^section of ■ the. trade :■ -but while,it, : would be: incpnyenient to them in.:arran gl ng a sale, it would be an obvious advantage to the final purchaser,, point of view-I-am convinced that it -would kdvahce ihe • fetiuJ™ our-butterv.and-be1 of great benefit .to.,.the industry. ;,It is-rather signincant thatwhile co. much criticism being indulged m, no;/thmrbut'.praise is heard of our cheese, and^this' 'while" the 'quality^of oUr 'butter has, speaking generally; never °been so- satisfactory on-r leaving -the -©ominwn.; whereas the quality of pur.cheese not 'displayed the "same ' general advance,-^houghV number of brands have- exhibited :a' distinct-improvement" "• ■ ®?l® s^i''fes mu^'it is'iiot: defied that several brands of .NeW'^ealaiid gutter;have"thiS se«fe<3iivshoWns's'ignV of whatmapbe t.armed-a ifisliy' flavor^idr -to exportatwta^ and reports- on, ...these brands.wh,ich haye l^aphed tlio I}o;miii-|-,gradgrs ic at ; this.,end, Ozirthe other hand, f I can hardly Credit the truth of QQriain ,reports...circulated ..as^.to the-"%neral iishuiess-: m thkoseasotfsvNew,:Zealand Dittt&r, rpr : -I,amyconY,inced.-tliat themore gehei;al :) adoptjpn of :-had ; an excellent effect in checking un- ! desirable -flavors;- It i s not^claTmed; however^ pastfeurisaTlJibW is' effective ;; undeFJall circiilristancesy for thSra^pasteurisatipii'.and^ pttetfeurisation.-; ?Itf fact ;more,attehtion; to;'detail. >isSTeftuired in buttenonrthisvprinciple!: andifcis only,^atWjjfco expect, that- wtih thejp ,ne^ ; found, knowledge pf ;i the -process,. |5| 0R%:;« lakers1akers ar^ filing it o^t v- &^P esf f^Y^^S^ • Pagte^riiati<>n as the keynote to clea^Vand uniform flavor, but. unless a...properly p^ep^fed ■ aad .rqlean ; starter is ..consistently^^ e d system may < easily be, more liQEmful With fuller experience M thts method of manufjaci iu .re > -,and the1 .stnctriattentipnito detail, which,its o suocessoaecessitates,, thetarregularities n<h . ,wpe4^|iisvseason.. will, jdpu^less .be overi'^lS^^liSi^l^ certain quarters ™W%Jts£ disparity ltbeiJweerf- vthe $*$£ <>!s*ss}. %d/ New' Zealand; 'but^ 'tershas bee'h diie impart to; the prevdlenceftff urisaiiisfactbry flavorsW'Uhe^lat--1 ter. * Tliis is; ?qtiite a:; f^ronc .viewot the position. /No do»bt themain reason is the diversion of/a considerable Continent, al markets, and %^onjgequ^rri{'ghoi-tage of ; supplies, m Bi^ti^H' channels 'afeciis.tomed tp.t^ie D^ish article,.-, The main r^scm^tm; .the weakness' in ; popularity >?hVffi- Z§alan(l;W^r witli-!a cerlain ■ sfqtipn of British tra^eTs the-teridehcy _.or j(|uite a number of factories this season to employ a perpehiiage" of moisture 'hl^W'i's'too near: thei British: legal limiti In England the actual vendor of butte.v 18 ;h|la;fespb.nsible for its purity, and any breaches of the Act, such as'wateradulteration, are viewed in a very serious lightj heavy penalties being : inflictedvfor even a first offence and , imprisonment without; the option of a fine for. a third breach. This will suffice to indicate the nervousness of the Home grocer in handling butter which he has reason to believe contains moisture near the danger line; and possibly over it. The risk is too great, and,he. prefers even a lower quality if it is a safer article. Obviously it is no advertisement for a grocer to be hauled before a magistrate for sellinoan adulterated article. This statement of the careless use of moisture is not the outcome of any report from the Home end, but is the result of repeated tests made at this end, quite a number of factories, and factories well equipped, hay-

ing been repeatedly warned this season of their risky method of manufacture. No butter should be taken from any combined churn without a rough tje^b^gjj; ing made of its water content; aridtHerfo~ is no excuse for failure to do this. Not only is the tendency of some factories to aim at too high a percentage of moisture —a bad thing from the viewpoint of-> a possible excess, and thereby the ca^ijs|: , £ ultimate. Jegal t action—but the boW, f^ v fjprtu#»f^|j]be .(iiSfeer^^serioiiliy. • S%ie buttpi hav^ilsb^exhil^, Md 4|^eap|alvy b^y ajp) altpetKe|\ rBA -^jatt|ietive a^ifearji^Se, *<?■ Of <3#|rse; 4iihese||yeakr c , pessesl? wHp; • urifo|feiately, lr|pf r"mpf^ 'pronounced this season than in "any'past* period, are confined to a minority of fac"fcoriGS DOING GOOD WORK. ' 'It is gratifying to know, on the other shandy, that\Jv majority of factories-are 'airiifrig-at a high ideal- anil'-a^e- ■-safe-' butter. Those ' ;;ffactories ■wKichr^^nave; adopted the pasteurising gyltdija/fcj manufacture on sound- pHneiple^-;-afre:;.-doing-- :- excellent work, arid are receiving congratulatory reports .from tire Hbm©'end. Here is one' which has- just been forwardr<;"r«".'. ; ,;,}.! ;: ?:m"i;;:' ; We have always felt that if you ' i decided to1 pasteurise, the'ltiuttbr would more closely resemble-Danish, and so compete with: that -butler, aridlifhas turned out to be the case. The quality of your butter is highly;, satisfactory m every way i; indeediJ. 'have" •sefeft no ■ | New Zealand butter,,ofosuch .an even ''-quality.or,so suitable.ioxour marked. ';'";" Another factory! (workirig on siibi'lar liri'es has just been informed by its Londonl agent that the quality: of .its "butter had, ill./hisljppnrion, reach&d perfection. These instances are only, however, examples of many-simalar reports that have come to hand.,"' : This goes to prove that •"the! modern prmciples of bntter-making which Newj^e^aa^ buiter r makers • havje now at cbriimarid wille'iiahle' them, "given fair conditions, .qf;the raw material- ,tpma^iiifactrire butter 'whicirwill Qe'fy 'cbiripetition. It is therefore all the.more t ..regrettable that such;;p'ciorl wbf^'Ys bei: ing ddhfe at "sbine■ factories, whichV:'in their eagerness to secure1 'quantity a"t *the' expense of quality, are not- only ' dam'j' agmg the Teputation: ami present Celling value of. their ; produGt,< but dn> the; pro-. cess are damaging ;bhe intereatjof %m? Zealand butters m generaLj.for .there is ir6tle jd,puht..that. at ,%]is ' 'prese^ti-tim.e, the; w.eak c i har T a,cter of the,.gutters'for-,' "which they ar,e. responsibjie;' is u heing \ used; as a lever to drag down' 'fames iri general. ; With their fftvo're'd corMitioris £ ■knowledge b'f-ffi^,business','!which should•insure the mjfchuf'aeiure of a high-class product, ;N4w Zealand dairymen can surely afford to; leave the.production;;of a secoribl-classbiittertobttier'bcuritrfes1."