STANDARDISED CHEESE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20723, 17 November 1930, Page 11

STANDARDISED CHEESE.

EFFECT ON DOMINION TRADE. RETURN TO FULL CREAM URGED. THE QUALITY OF BUTTER. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] NKW PLYMOUTH. Sunday. Some interesting comments on the dairy produce position in Great Britain were made by Mr. It. W. D. Robertson, well known to New Zealand dairy men, who has just returned from a tour of England and the Continent. " I have 110 hesitation in saying that I think we have taken the wrong turning and should courageously retrace our steps," said Mr. Robertson, when asked for his views on standardised cheese. " But the move back to full cream must bo national." New Zealand cheeso had certainly lost in popularity since standardisation had been so extensively adopted, ho added, and the unfortunate part was that New Zealand full cream cheeso suffered in tho general loss of reputation and price. Tho only advantage was that on an over-supplied market full cream obLained preference among those placing orders, while tho standardised article was neglected. In this way, owing to the much reduced supplies of New Zealand full cream cheese last year a premium of Is per cwt. was created.

There wfs no doubt that the Canadian quality deserved its preference because the Canadians were sparing no effort to capture the premier cheddar cheese trade of Great Britain, Mr. Robertson said. The general quality of New Zealand butter was satisfactory, but far too much stale butter was being delivered to consumers. In the past many retailers relied on New Zealand's claim that the keeping qualities of its butter were unlimited, a result, being that much of the butter was subject to unfair conditions before reaching the consumer.

Dealing with world production Mr. Robertson said the dairy statistics available showed that from ail sources supplies of butter had been prolific and it would appear as if nature were in league with other causes of depression. New Zealand would have to rely on its natural advantages, supported by better value and service, lioth of which had latterly been somewhat in abeyance. " The position is sufficiently serious." lie said, "to justify the dropping of domestic differences and disregarding temporary short cuts in order fo concentrate all our efforts on a national policy to regain for us the popular and lucrative position we held so long on the British markets."