SKIMMINGS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1510, 7 February 1901, Page 54

SKIMMINGS

.Nearly ten tons of cheese arrived; in hWdilington last week from the Greyotown factory> for shipment by the Papa-

The total amount of dairy produce) shipped by the Delphic wnich left Lyttelton on January 22nd, was 1400 tons, representing consignments from both islands.' ' * *

■According to a London report the . average! prices of Australian butter dur-i-'-iag- the first weeks of December have been •Wper-cwt.above what they were in tiie "•corresponding period of , ’ Th .Danish has been only 4s dearer. I he. i . same report statefs that the Canadian lm ipart into London shows a shortage o •* 206,608 packages for the present season with the previous twelve ;tnonths._ The Canadian season ended on ‘ November 29th. • Kv ■«■. •*• *. **

’ • The London cheese market, the Produce Commissioner reports, continues f quiet but steady. Prices remain about '■the same as they have for weeks past—..•about an average of 55s per cwt for ■■finest quality Canadian. There is, hel -•adds r no great quantity of “finest on Hand, I 'the bulk offered now being secondary at 50s to 52s per cwt. J ** * * *

The Government Produce Commis- • sioner, in his last report from London states that a Canterbury factory shipped Home a line of its butter packed m pound pats, each pound of course; being wrapped in parchment paper. On the VDdhdon market there was the objection made to this style of packing that there .would require to be a continuous supply ,of the butter so packed. Bulk "’butter was alwavs preferred. * * *

■ The rise of boracic acid as a preservative in butter is still being discussed warmly in England. Mr Harold Faber, the Commissioner of the Danish Government in London, denies that bojJrsuhc._acicS‘ is ever, used in Danish but..nor is there, he says, any intention ■ to permit of its use being adopted. On • the contrary, he says, “ The use of boraeic acid in butter is prohibited by Danish law and! will not be. permitted; butter keeps without it, because rt is well made andi clean, and. boracic acid will not * enhance the durability 1 Unless used in such quantities that, according to the view of Danish authorities, it would be injurious to health.”

_ r? *■ & df According to. the report of the London' Prodiice ' Commissioner. the earlier arrival of New Zealand shipments of butter on the London market at the' beginning of the present season has resulted most satisfactorily for shippers. The Wbakatane, which arrived in London oa December sth, had 11,012 boxes on hoard, and this was sold at prices ranging from 108 s to 112 s. The shipment was soon cleared, so that the next shipment, bv the Kumara, met a good mar- , ket.! Unfortunately, the deliveries from \ the Kumara, owing to the continued strike of bargemen at the docks, were . very slow. Consequently a portion of the shipment missed the Christmas market, and, as a result, one shilling to ... two shillings less had to be taken. The Adulk'of the shipment realised from 110 s N to- 112 s. . ..

The extensive prevalence of ‘‘’fishiness'’ in Victorian butter is commented upon . .‘by. Mr Cameron, the London Produce of the Government, in his liast‘report. This has acted to the bene-of-New 'Zealand butter, about which .Nkbeii. inquiries have been made. Mr '//(jamefon states that he has been doing ■‘this utmost to promote the demand by the information supplied by // .Mr Ki ns ella that the Dairying Dep art]>t|herit Is sanguine of a further improvein the quality .of this season’s /.make of blitter. So far he has heard of ’/no complaints from merchants handling

Zealand butter, and no “fishiness” yet been found in London, nor had complaints been made to liim of any /’ofHer. defect in quality. In fact, the ! butk of New Zealand factory butter had /ijec l2 /.classed as “choicest,” and consehad.realised top prices.