BUTTER DETURIORATION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1847, 31 July 1907, Page 55

BUTTER DETURIORATION

IMPORTER S' SEIM O U S STATEMENTS. REPRESENTATIONS TO MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE. Some interesting statements in regard to the butter industry were made to the Minister for Agriculture (lion. R. McNab) by members of the Dairy Products Exports Committee n£. the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, who interviewed him . Wednesdays - It was alleged that New Zealand butter is in danger of losing its high reputation on tlie London market owing to the excessive amount off moisture permited by some makers. The deputation comprised- Messrs JV G. W. Aitken, M.H.R., J. B. MacEwah,' J. G. Harkness, G. Shritcliffe, F. N. R. Meadows, and S. Carroll (secretary). Mr J. G. Harkness (president of the Wellington Chamber) was the speaker who dealt principally with the alleged deterioration in New Zealand butter. He had, lie said, received a letter from< a London agent that morning, which contained the following statement: — I regret to say I have had to listen to a great many complaints, but the most serious was in regard to the falling off in quality of our New Zealand butter. Fishiness has been found, and many of the buyers who had had their butter analysed for moisture found that some of the best brands have shown 15 per cent.” The writer stated that, many importers surmised that it was evidently the intention of the New Zealand dairy farmers to kill the saltless butter trade, but this policy on the part of some of the dairy companies would seriously£n- ' danger the business. Cue buyer in England was in trouble because 28 per cent. .of moisture had been found 'in his butter. How it got out of New Zealand he did not know, but the writer -wished to impress upon New sk‘aland makers the necessity of sticking to the old standard of 12 per cent, of moisture. Mr Shirtcliffe stated that he had had repeated complaints this year that the general average quality of New Zealand butter was very much below the standard attained during previous years. Mr Meadows mrtr- led the Minister that he knew of one of the best brands, graded 93 points or over, about whicu there had been no end of complaints. The Minister: In the event of our legislating in regard to moisture m butter, what percentage should be fixed?. Mr Mac Ewen : The British standard is 16 per cent. Tlie object of the deputation was to suggest that the Grading Department s representative' who is to be sent Home for the purpose of studying English requirements should be Mr Cuddie, Oliiei Dairy Commissioner. It was represented that if Mi Cuddie spent three months or more in London and. the subsidiary markets, he could put himself in touch, with importers, who would gladly assist him in acquiring a knowledge or the conditions. 'lf the Chief Commissioner left in October, he would, it was stated, be in England when the first butter shipments were arriving from the coioiiv. His experience/ would enable him to return ’with, clear-cut ideas in regard to his policy, and his observations would be extremely valuable, as he had the confidence 'off the trade. The Minister was also aiM if he would continue on a more extensive scale the experiments which had been' carried out spasmodically in regard to the . cool-curmg ox cheese. The Hon. R. McNab stated that he; would give due weight to the sugges-: tions of the deputation m regard to the officer who was to be sent to. England.. At present he had an open mind on the subject. He did not think there would be any difficulty in meeting the wishes of the deputation in regard to the experiments in cool-curing. He would see that a substantial forward movement was made during the coming season.