NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 270, 16 November 1909, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

DEPARTMENTAL ACTION.

* LONDON, Oct. 1. Mr H. C. Cameron, Produce Commissioner for the New Zealand Government, has issued the following letter to the English Press:—"With reference to the increase in the quantity of moisture in New Zealand butter, to which attention was directed last year, I am instructed by the High Commissioner to inform you that he has received a letter from the Prime Minister giving details of two action being taken by the. New Zealand Government in dealing with, the matter as follows:—All butter sent in for export to Great Britain during the coming season will be subject to a rigid inspection by the officers of the dairy division of Department of Agriculture stationed at each port of $hip-, meht/ A large number of .^samples will be taken for analysis daily, arid in .all cases where the legal limit, for moisture is exceeded the, offender will be prosecuted. In addition to this, the instructors ir. butter-making, who visit practically every creamery in the Dominion a number of times each season, will pay special attention to the question of moisture in butter. They will also look closely into the methods of• manufacture adopted in regard to butter-making, and endeavour to induce the makers to retain not more than 12 to J. 3 per cent, of water in the finished article. These officers will carry a moisture-testing outfit with them on their rounds. In view of complaints received during the past season, the question of moisture in butter for the coming year will receive more than usual < attention. Some- extra men will be employed in checking the work of the dairy companies in this respect, in order to safeguard the interests of tlie purchasers of New Zealand butter, and to protect the industry generally." The High Commissioner is satisfied that these precautions, taken in the interest of the trade, will commend themselves to all purchasers of New Zealand butter in this country.

The Times says:—"The letter is interesting .in connection with the decrease in butter and the increase in cheese imported from New Zealand in 1908. The figures for that year indicate a transference of attention from "butter-making to cheese-production-. It has been suggested that cheesemaking was finding favour because of the smaller quantity of refuse, if it may be so termed, in -the form of separated milk. The creameries take the whole milk but retain the cream only, the separated milk being returned to the fanner, who has no suitable means of utilising it. The cheese factory, on the other hand, retains the whole of the milk. It may be, however, that the subject of Mr Cameron's letter supplies another explanation, though the official prices do not bear out the alleged deterioration in butter from New Zealand, which was second only to Banish in price last year. The action that is being taken by the New Zealanu Government to maintain the reputation of the butter produce of that country, as outlined in Mr Cameron's letter, is an 'example worthy of commendartion."

VIEWS OF TRADE PAPERS

"The representations which have been made to the New Zealand Government regarding the increased moisture which had been found in some New Zealand butter of late, had good effect," writes The' Grocer, "and the letter from Mr Hv C. Cameron, f'roduce CJomtn'issioner, will be read

with considerable satisfaction by members of the provision trade in the United Kingdom. In the past New Zealand has enjoyed a hi<m. reputation in this country for the excellence of her butter, which was one oi" the driest butters imported. But latterly there has been an obvious determination on the part of the producers to incorporate in their butter moisture approaching so eloselv to the 16 per cent, limit allowed in this country that importers, who have to ac* cept the responsibility under the Sale of Foods and Drugs and Butter and Margarine Acts for the consignments they receive, became seriously alarmed, and vigorous protests followed. Fortunately, however, the i\ew Zealand Government is dealing with the matter, and in future all butter for export to Great Britain is to ber>subjected to a rigid inspection and in all cases where the moisture limit is exceeded the offenders win bo prosecuted. Moreover, the instructors iii butter-making who periodically visit 'practically eveiry creamery in! the Dominion- are to endeavour to induce the makers to retain not more than 12 to 13 per cent, of water in the finished article. Extra men are to be employed in order to 'safeguard* the interests of the purchasers of New Zealand, butter and to protect the industry generally." We congratulate the New Zealand Government upon the thorough manner in which they propose to deal with a matter which represented a genuine grievance for our importers. All of us desire to see the development of trade between the Mother Country and her colonies, ana all would deplore a decline which may be easily avoided. Fortunately remedial measures are promised which should serve to restore the confidence of distributors in this country in New Zealand butter.

The Scottish Trader -has the following comment on Mr Cameron's loiter: "For some time past complaints' with regard to excess of moisture in different varieties of colonial butter have been frequent. That these complaints have had justification, cannot be doubted, for the butter received within recent times is not to be compared with that which was originally imported from our dominions across the seas. The natural result of the dissatisfaction among traders in this country was that it led to a very marked decrease in the sales of the butter in question. This, of course, was playing into the hands of the Danish makers, whose butter is so dependable. If traders could be assured of the fact that New Zealand, or any other colonial butter, would be of a fixed standard, they would encouragethe sale of it without a doubt. As the matter stands they sell, the butter that can be relied upon. In these circumstances it is gratifying to find that the New Zealand Government are taking steps to ensure that in future the ground of the complaints

referred to shall be removed. This action will heartily commend itself to all traders in this country, and will receive their unstinted support. It is to be hoped that the aim and object of the New Zealand Government may be fully achieved, and no doubt tKere will be a return of trade to that colony which will prove beneficial to her, and also to the consumer in the Mother Country. If New Zealand makes it her aim to give us the best butter, we, in return, will readily respond by giving her the best of our custom."