NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1696, 31 August 1904, Page 77

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

SOUTH AFRICAN PROSPECTS. Mr J. A. Kinsella, Chief Dairy Com* mission-©?, reporting to the Minister of Industries and Commerce on his recent investigations in South Africa, says:— I do not wish to find fault all round about our methods of shipping and the quality off our produce, but I do feel as though I am placing some hard cold facts before the butter producers and dealer:] of New Zealand which should at least receive their careful consideration. Before leaving New Zealand last year I was strongly opposed to the question of holding largo quantities of butter in the cold-storage.i through the winter with a view to catching a higher market in the spring. My reason for this was that, m all my experience in other countries where perishable produce is held for any great length of time, I have found that although a larger price may be obtained, the question off deterioration, as a rule, cuts badly against the reputation of such produce, no matter what market it is sold on. At the end of April last, just before leaving Now Zealand, I made inquiries at the various freezing-works, and found that about a hundred and twenty thousand boxes of butter were stored in the colony. lat that time made recomrnedations personally and through the Press of tho colony to a number ctf the owners to ship the butter while new to the British markets. This could have been done at a profitable price to the producers. Instead of that being done, tho butter was held through the winter and a good deal of it shipped to Africa. The quality of tho majority of butters which I examined had deteriorated very much, and this could not be wondered at when I say that I saw some of the same butter before leaving New Zealand eight and nine months before I examined it in Africa. One brand which has n good reputation in New Zealand I found according to the date-marks to be twelve mouths old ; of course, the handlers in Africa rarely look for date-marks, although they do pay attention to our grade-marks, and are most particular to roe that the goods bear the Government’s first-grade stamp. The fact that the dealers and consumers in Africa do not know the age of our butter naturally causes them to compare our old butter on the same counters with Argentine fresh. The latter butter would not he in tho same street with ours so far as quality is concerned if our goods were laid down on the markets in a fairly fresh condition, or rather at short notice. As early as November I had the pleasure of examining some of New Zealand’s stored butter in Capetown in company with Mr Gow, our Trade Commissioner. I at that time made the statement to him that it was to be regretted that New Zealand producers saw fit to hold such well-made butter until it considerably aged, and then to place it on a practically new market which should have a large outlet for our produce in future, and to which market we should send only tho choicest quality. Before leaving Durban in January, Mr Gow informed me that he had heard very bad reports about a well-known New Zealand brand of butter which was handled by Reiners, Von Laers, and Co. On my way from Durban to Capetown X was aJble to get ashore at Port Elizabeth for a few hours, where I examined the butter in question. Unfortunately fo.r tho reputation of New Zealand butter, the agents had quite a stock of this butter on hand at tho time of my visit, and they informed me that almost every package they had sent out lately to upcountry towns was being returned on the score of inferior quality. I, however, did not wonder much at this statement after examining the boxes, for I found according to the date-marks .that the butter was then about ten months old. I carefully examined a number of packages of the butter, and found it had deteriaroted very much in quality, although the butter was well made in the manufacturing process. The butter possessed a stale, or rather tallowy, flavour. In fact, some of it could be termed rancid, and hardly fit for cooking purposes. I at that time advised the Department of Indutries and Commerce of this brand of butter, and asked that the Dairying Division be instructed to bring the matter under the notice of tho company or manufacturers. If New Zealand producers do not get alive to the fact that it is just as important for them to send the very finest quality of ibutter, and that while new or in a fairly fresh condition, to the African markets, as it is to send it in the latter condition to Groat Britain, they will, in my opinion, have no hope of competing successfully against the Argentine. I was informed'by dealers in Capetown and Durban that they had to pay more money for New Zealand butter than thev were purchasing Argentine ( o ri and that tho quality of the practically fresh Argentine butter, which was hoing laid down in Africa in eighteen to twenty days, was preferred, to our stored goal j. A quantity of the latter was wj|; held in the freezing-works, and was bein'; placed on tho markets in competition with Use Argentine.

Tha only chance we have in compel-

ing with the Argentine is on the score of better quality, and X am confident that if our producers aim to get their butter on the" African markets soon after it is made, the Argentine people cannot touch us so far as quality is concerned. I have examined a great $ Argentine butter, and eaten it i ) tables in various towns and cities* ' Transvaal, Cape Colony, and Natl..* &ad there are two things only in its favour : it is paler in colour than ours, which is preferred ; it is also laid down fresher. On the other hand, the Argentine butter has the appearance of being poorly made; it has a very greasy appearance, almost resembling lard; it has no character, is almost void of and I am confident if it was put to the test which some of our butter has had to undergo as described above —that is, if it ,waa held for a whole year and exposed to all temperatures —it would, in my opinion, as an old experienced bufccermaker, not be fit for anything else than axle-grease at the end of that time. Although New Zealand butter has had hard luck on the African markets for the reasons above explained, it is a pleasure to a practical man to note how well it is made, the body, and texture. The general get-up, including boxes, branding, and finish, I do not think cau ba beaten in any part of the world.