CHEESE PRODUCTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20601, 27 June 1930, Page 16

CHEESE PRODUCTION.

PROBLEMS TO BE FACED. [IMPROVING THE STANDARD. • /. - , ' PREMIUM ON QUALITY. RESOLUTION AT CONFERENCE. fBY TELEGBAPH. —OWN COBRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON, Thursday. Problems relating to cheeso production the subject of exhaustive discussion nfc the annual conference of the National Dairy Association to-day. Practically the whole day was devoted to tho subject, addresses in the morning being followed by general discussion in the afternoon. The first address was given by Mr. W. M. Singleton, director of tho Dairy Division. " Tho market has been less favourable to New Zealand cheeso during the past season than hitherto," he said. "Adverse trade conditions havo been general and under conditions producing receding prices it is usual to experience more complaints respecting quality. It is interesting to note, however, that the quantity of cheese graded this season shows practically no increase, although our gradmgs of butter show a substantial increase. "Further, butter prices have, during the season, receded much more than have our cheese prices, and in spite of these facts there are more adverse reports respecting cheese quality than that of our butter. We cannot, therefore, afford to ignore the reports respecting the unsatisfactory quality of some of our cheeso."

Prospects ol Improvement. An analyse of unfavourable reports dated last February and early March indicated that about half of these cheese showed too much moisture, while the other half showed too little. As managers became more experienced in the manufacture of standardised cheese these variations might be expected to decrease and as market conditions became more normal less complaint might reasonably be expected. "A regulation has been drafted and submitted for approval giving the director of the Dairy Division power, after making all necessary representations to a company, to cancel its certificate of registration for the factory if the company persists in intentionally making low quality produce," said Mr. Singleton after referring to the procedure adopted by certain companies making standardised cheese Outstanding facts were that when the Dairy Board was paying differential advances according to grade, nearly 55 per cent, of New Zealand cheese was classed as finest. ' There was still a considerable percentage of New Zealand cheese graded as finest, but the percentage was reducing year by year. In a summary Mr. Singleton made various recommendations for improving the quality of cheese. He favoured dift'erenjtial payments based on grade points. Levy and Premium Proposed.

In the afternoon, the chairman, Mr. A. Morton, read a cablegram received from the New Zealand Dairy Importers' Association, dated London, June 20, stating that it was unanimously agreed that the arrivals of New Zealand cheese during the 1929/30 season show a pronounced general deterioration in quality on that of prejvious years" and that standardisation of cheese had undoubtedly lowered the prestige of New Zealand cheese. The association considered that the consumption and prices could be improved only by reversion to full cream cheese and that the grading in New Zealand should be considerably tightened. Mr. T. A. Winks (Hawera) suggested that different pools should be established for cheese made of pasteurised milk and for cheese made of unpasteurised milk. •Ho moved "That this meeting recommends the- institution of a- system of compulsory levy and the payment of a premium on cheese according to quality, such levy to be made and premium paid on groups of factories according to grading stores; the basis of the scheme to be the grading points and differential payments suggested by the director of the Dairy Division." V , Mr. R J. Corrigan (Hawera) seconded the motion. . Opposition to Motion. Mr. C. J. Parlane,. general manager of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, said the company he represented was heartily behind the Dairy Division in its efforts to improve the quality of New Zealand dairy produce. His directors would not agree to the payment of a premium, but they would support the grading of milk at the factory. ' Professor W. Riddet said he did not think the payment of a premium could bo equitably applied throughout the Dominion owing to the varying conditions that prevailed. Mr. Singleton supported the suggestion that pasteurised and unpasteurised cheese should be graded in different pools. He also «r /ported the proposal for a premium on quality. The chairman said the proposed premiums would be on the basis of fivepence for every half-point over 90 points on every crate of cheese Mr. J. Murray, secretary of the Managers' Association, said that if the factory managers had been given a free hand the quality of New Zealand cheese would he much superior to what it was to-day. The managers were keen to make a high quality cheese, but were harassed by demands for yield. / Two Amendments Defeated. Mr. Hansen (Tamaki) moved an amendment that consideration of the motion should be deferred until the meeting at Palmerston North on July 23 to confirm the reconstruction proposals was held. (The amendment was lost. Mr. Dynes Fulton (Hamilton) moved a further amendment that a select committee should be set up to investigate thoroughly the question of the quality of New Zealand cheese, the committee to report within 12 months. The New Zealand Co-operative Dairy' Company, Limited, was prepared 'to place a cheese factory at the disposal of the ■ committee in which io carrv out experiments This amendment was also Inst, and Mr. Kings' motion was carried, with the addition that separato pools should be established for factories manufacturing from pasteurised milk. It was decided that the Dairy Produce Board should he asked to carry out tho provisions of th e resolution. A further resolution was carried that the director of the Dairy Division should be asked to cancel the licence of any factory not manufacturing cheese of requisite standard./ A resolution recommending the Agriculture Department to bring about the compulsory grading of milk for all cheese factories, paymci t to be made according to grade, was lost.