NEW ZEALAND BUTTER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6861, 3 July 1909, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER

THE MOISTUBE QUESTION,

WHAT OF THE DEPARTMENT?

If there was one thing disappointing bout the I'ttLnußrstoii dairy conference It was tho absence of any resolution in regard to the regrettable water-logging practised by some factories last season. : Apparently tho loading dairy corn-pony I representatives of the island regard our lost reputation and the doubtful future of tho trade: w'ifth equanimity. If tho leaders of thie industry do not realiso tho seriousness of the position it is obviously a matter for the Department of Agriculture. In tlhis connection Jt should be pointed out that the water-1 losing which lias brought such discredit on the New Zealand butter trade has not been general, but has been the work of a few factories, innocently, perhaps, in some oases. It stands to reason if something 'hud been done to check the water-logging in the first place—an example mude—the trouble would have been nipped in the bud. That tfhie opportunity was allowed to pass is much to be regretted, especially as the knowledge was available and the machinery; was present. Analyses were made of butters being exported, and under the Now Zealand Act sixteen per cent, is the legal limit; yet butters which, had broken tho law in this respect were sent forward for shipment and, as we kuow from the Loudon end, were actually exported, and yet nothing was done at this end to prosecute the offenders and thus teach .a lesson, the value of whioh, in the light of subsequent events, .wiould have been of enormous and farreaching significance. But nothing waa done, except probably to give the. offending factories some fatherly advice. In vjiow of the most important gathering of dairymen in the year failing to take cognisance of the evil it is obviously the duty of the Department to do something now. Wo have not much /to learn from the Victorian Department in regard to fostering the, dairy industry, but there is one thing where it teaches New Zealand a lesson, and a very valuable one. This is in regard to the moisture , content of export butter. A factory can export a butter containing up to 16 per cent, of moisture, but tho 'Victorian Department says very wisely if anything above i 11 per cent, is incorporated tho butter ■cannot be classed in th© highest grade. I Here is a very simple, as it is a most necessary, means of controlling the j waiter content. Obvioußly it is absurd for a water-logged butter to carry the Jiig l hest state designation of quality—it is plainly putting ian official nail-mark of quality on a fraudulent article, whether the fraud be accidental or otherwise. Why cannot tho New Zealand Department follow the excellent Victorian example? We have always prided ourselves on the completeness of our system of butter-grading, but if the Department is (to mark time in regard to water-logging Now Zealand butter grading will receive a serious setback.