STANDARDISED CHEESE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20767, 9 January 1931, Page 7

STANDARDISED CHEESE.

GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL.

OBJECTIONS BY PRODUCERS

" DAMAGING OUR PRESTIGE."

The proposal put forward by the Government to raise the minimum fat content of "standardised" cheese by two - points is strongly criticised in a letter sent to tho Minister of Agriculture, the. Hon. A. J. Murdoch, by the South Island Dairy Association of New Zealand, which protests against the manufacture and export of this type of cheese and urges reversion to the production of fi'.ll-cream cheese throughout the Dominion.,

"We have read the Government's statement on the matter and note that in epite of tho overwhelming mass of evidence which has been adduced to show that the export of cheese made from partiallyskimmed milk is seriously damaging the prestigo of New Zealand cheese on the British market, the Government has decided to permit the manufacture and export of this type of cheese to continue," states tho letter. "The proposal to raise the minimum fat content by two points may effect some improvement in the quality, but cannot possibly kill tho prejudice of the British consumer to skimmedmilk cheese, neither will tho alteration of the name to 'Cheddar.' Jf, as appears to us, the Government, in adopting these proposals, has allowed political Considerations to outweigh the general welfare of the industry, we cannot too strongly condemn its action."

In the Government statement referred to, it was slated the producers of rich milk should obtain as good a return for their butter-fat as was possible in file circumstances, and the material loss, estimated at £20,000 a year for one district, which would result from a complete reversion to full-cream cheese, would be avoided, while a good, sound article would be produced. "We most emphatically do not agree with this view/'-continues the letter. "Instead of the producers gaining anything by tho practice it is our firm conviction that they are substantial losers, and are involving the producers of fullcream cheeso in still heavier losses. Can. adian Cheddar (fu'.l-cream) cheese is selling on the London market at a premium of 15s per cwt over New Zealand cheese. This disparity in price represents in. round figures £1,275.000 011 our year's output, which in comparison makes £20,000 a mere bagatelle.

"There must certainly be very strong reasons why the British consumer should favour the Canadian producer to such an extent. Wo can "manufacture cheese of a quality to gain the judge's decision at the Empire dairy shows in London in competition with Canadian cheese, so we should be able to supply the market with produce of at least an equal value. There is no doubt in our minds that the question of goodwill is largely responsible for the disparity iii price and that the prejudice against the skimmed-milk article, together with the inferior quality which has been caused by sanctioning the manufacture of this class, has had a most detrimental effect 011 the market value of New Zealand cheese generally."

SYDNEY WOOL SALES.

COMPETITION SUSTAINED.

SATISFACTORY CLEARANCES

(Received January 8, 11.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 8

At the wool sales 10.792 bales were offered, and 9613 were sold. Also 1156 bales were sold privately. Values were unchanged. Competition was general and well sustained, and clearances were satisfactory. Greasy Merino made up to 20id.

PRICE OF TIN RISES

RESTRICTION IN MALAY,

£l2l 15s ON LONDON MARKET

(Received January 9, 12.35 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 8. In consequence of Malayan advices that tlie producers favoured the. restriction of output, tin rose by £3 10s to £l2l 15s a ton, the highest price for three months. AUSTRALIAN SHEEPSKINS. EFFECT OF EXPORT DUTY. NO BUYING FOR FRANCE. (Received January S, 11.35 p.m.) MELBOURNE. Jan. 8. A catalogue of 51.000 sheepskins was offered to-day, but only 4000 were sold. French buyers declined to operate, owing to the export duty. NORTH AMERICAN WHEAT. A HUGE CARRY-OVER. IMPORTANCE OF CORN. WINNIPEG. Jan. 7. "With wheat prices at ruinously low levels no alarm should be felt if a huge carry-ovei exists at the end of July." states Mr. .1. I. McFarlnnd, manager of Ihe wheat pool. At present stocks are 217.000,000 bushels. Mr. McFarland states that undoubtedly the Argentine and Australia hold the same views. The three prairie provinces, with perhaps British Columbia, will send three delegates early in the spring lo the Orient to attempt lo sell wheat there. A message from Chicago says corn has been formally recognised in the grain trade as the leader. Beginning on Monday next the wheat business will be transferred to the pit formerly used for corn, and corn will be taken to the wheat pit. Corn of late has shown decidedly greater activity than wheat. CHICAGO WHEAT MARKET. CHICAGO, Jan. 7. Wheat.—March 81 1-8 cents a bushel; May, 82i cents; July, 66 7-8 cents. TUNG 6IL PRODUCTION. Progress is being made in the movement to produce within the Empire tung oil, fm. which hitherto the world generally has been dependent upon China. The October issue of the bulletin of the Imperial Institute alludes to the work which is being carried out by the institute's advisory committee on oils and oil seeds in association with the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, and the Research Association of the British Paint, Colour and Varnish Manufacturers, and states that arrangements have been made for the distribution of seed to various oversea countries of the Empire foi experimental planting. The bulletin gives the results of the investigation of three samples of seed f; obtained from China for this purpose. American interests have made considerable progress in producing tung oil.