THE GOVERNMENT STAMP.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1717, 25 January 1905, Page 63

THE GOVERNMENT STAMP.

Almost every day fresh evidence is given of the advantages of Government control of tho dairy industry in New Zealand. It is also plain that the reputation of New South Wales butter in suffering through want of proper supervision. The “Sydney Mail’s” London correspondent writes:—.“What to any one acquainted with the butter market here seems a curious reason, has been assigned as in part responsible for, generally speaking, the second or third position on the London market New South Wales produce is holding as regards dairy produce. It is that anything savouring of ‘Government interference’ with private business is more keenly resented than in O'ther States. Whether that be so or not, one here cannot say. But Government grading, supervision, and help have placed New Zealand and Victorian dairy produce where it stands to-day. A Government stamp is a guarantee; and what is more that guarantee is a valuable asset here. Those who do not avail themselves of it lose profit. United States and Canadian importers get a Government stamp on everything they can. New Zealand early did similarly. In a recent letter reference was made to the question of short weight and over W'eight in butter; and it was pointed out that Government-guaranteed weights were accepted. Indeed, one of the new rules governing Tooley street business provides that a Government certificate of weight is to be final and decisive—that is, final as regards o.i.f. contracts —it does not affect consigned butter, and it is, of course, always open to a buyer an the floor of a warehouse to challenge

weights. But the point is that whatever bears a Government stamp or guarantee has an added value. That faot will have to be recognised, as a potent factor in the produce business. While on this subject, it may be mentioned, as showing how New Zealand regards the question, that Mr H. O. Cameron, the produce representative of that colony, has had prepared for lantern lecturing purposes, a series of photographic slides, showing all the details of Government grading and weighing. New Zealand publishes abroad its “Government interference.” This surely is strong evidence in favour of adopting up-to-date methods that are so much thought of in the export market. There is a change near at hand, if one can judge by conversations with the man in the street. Even the commercial element that all along has opposed Government control of the dairy industry, may now, generally speaking, he said to look with favour on something definite being done to improve the quality of New South Wales butter.