NEW ZEALAND DAIRY PRODUCE NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10036, 30 April 1894, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND DAIRY PRODUCE NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

London, March 24. Averyimportantinterviewtookplacelastweel 1 between Mr H. Reynolds, Mr H. Gray (Covej acd Co.), Mr Trengrouse—all representating the New Zealand trade in London—and Mr S, Lowe (New Zealand Government dairy expert) on the one hand, and Mr J. A. Potter (managet of tho Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company) on on the other. The object of the deputation was to impress oa the company the need of altering the temperature in the " cool chambers " of their steamers in which butter is carried. All the members of the deputation were men specially experienced in the handling of butter, and all agreed that in most cases New Zealand butter is carried at far too high a temperature, the consequence being that much i 3 damaged. It was explained by the deputation that they wero anxious to bring their united experience to bear before Mr Reynolds's departure. _ That experience must of necessity be acquired at this end, and could not possibly be gained at the.other end. The London agents alone ara in a position to judge as experts what is the proper temperature for tho carriage cf dairy produce. They find that this temperature oughtnot to exceed 20deg to 30deg Fahrenheit, yet at present the temperature in the so-called "cool" chambers is nearly always 35deg to 45deg, and often more. For instance, in the case of the Rimutaka's last trip it was very nearly 50deg. This was manifestly excessive and injurious. Mr J. A. Potter, the manager for the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, received the deputation very cordially, and readily promised to do all in his power to further their views. But he pointed out that the shipping companies could do very little unless they had instructions from tha shippers from whom they received the cargo. They could not tike instructions from the consignees alone. The shippers must give explicit directions, and he suggested that the committee should advise them to do so, in which case he and his directors would be most happy to do all that could possibly be done to cany out such instructions. It was therefore arranged that the Shaw, Savill, ond Albion Company should write strongly on the matter to their representatives in New Zealand, and urge them to do their best to get New Zealand shippers to give the instructions recommended by the deputation, so that all the butter Bhould be carried in one refrigerating chamber at 20deg. to 30deg., instead of part being in a freezing chamber and part in a so-called "cool" chamber. It was agreed that cheese should continue to be carried as at present at a temperature of 45deg to 55deg, whioh is found the mo3t suitable. Another point on which it was mutually agreed to make forcible representations to Now Zealand was that butter should be kept in a chilled room at least three days before shipment. Notwithstanding that this would involve some increased expense, it would be greatly to the shipper's advantage to do it. It would remove all risk, whereas at present it is believed that butter often sustains deterioration before being actually on board the ship, and then, being carried at too high a temperature in a supposed "cool" chamber, its value is lessened by 53 to 10s when it is landed in London.

Mr Trengrouse, who is ono of the largest handlers of dairy produce at the port of London, pointed out very strongly that at present New Zealand buttf r has fallen very far behind Victorian in quality and value. This had now become so serious a drawback to dealings with the New Zealand article that unless an improvement were effected readily, dealers would withdraw from the New Zealand trade altogether, and confine their operations to Victorian butter. It was, ho said, most unsatisfactory to handle New Zealand butter, because operators were unable to gefc near the Victorian prices, as tho New Zealand quality was so greatly inferior. It is thought that this unfortunate inferiority is largely due to the deterioration caused, partly through deficient facilities for cool carriage from the factory to tha Bhip and partly, as already explained, through too high a temperature on board. Representations will be made to the New Zealand Government by Mr Reynolds on his arrival, with a view to improvement in the facilities for carriage and delivery on shipboard. In addition to tbe manager, one of the directors (Mr Temple) and two of the company's engineers were present at tbe interview, so tho whole Bubject was thoroughly thrashed out. Tho deputation were much pleased ot tho satisfactory way in which the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company met them, and aro sanguine that good results will eusue. The same deputation waited also en Mr Strickland, the London manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company, who also promised to do all he could in the desired direction. It appeared to the deputation, however, tbat more difficulty m-gbfc be encountered iv this case owing to the divided authority as between the two boards, one in New Zealand and one in London. However, tbey are satisfied that Mr Strickland will do his. best to have their wishes complied with. On this same subject Mr Putter has just written to me as follows:-"The butter iudustry deserves more intelligent attention than it receives in the colony, aud I hope Mr Reynolds's visit may do good. He seems thoroughly to understand the question and the weak points in tho present want of Bystem. Our opportunities for dealing with the article lie iv a very circumscribed sphere. We have done our bett to do our part of the woik efficiently—uot entirely without; succees, I think,—bat there seems an absolute absence of unanimity as to what the proper temperature should be, and a great lack of suitable arrangements in the colony to ensure the article being handed over to the carrying ocean steamer in Qfc condition. If yoar letter will help to remedy these defects in any degree it wiil bo most beneficial." There ia quite a rush of inward steamers just at the Easter holidays. The Tainui, Nairnshire, Maori King, and Himalaya are all on one another's heels for almost simultaneous discharge. The consequence must be a glut in tho butter market, for the consignments ex Valet ta and Oruba are Eot yet cleared aDd there is much difficulty in selling as tbe market is very flat, and a great " slump " is expected after the holidays. Prices havo fallen considerably, •choice factory butter realising only 1043 to 108?, and "fancy" brands 112s. Victorian has a decided preference over New Zealand for reasons explained in my recent letter.'. New Zealand che' se is selling freely afc 52s to 56a—the latter being only for best factory products. The Agent-general haß received a report written after ii.quiri- s had been mado in Franco as to tbe prospects of introducing Now Zealand mutton into that country. The report is by no I means encouraging. It shows that the prospects are not at all favourable so long as the meat; has to be transhipped from London, which renders it liable to the maximum tariff. If tent direct to France ifc wou'd be subject only to the general tariff and then would stand 6on.e chance. Mr and Mrs Henry Reynolds, who are passengers by the lonic, joiaid her at the Albert Decks on Thursday. Quite a number of Anglo-Colonial friends assembed at the Fenchurch street Terminus to bid <hem bon voyage. 1 noticed Captain Ashby, Mr H. Gray, Mr and Mrs Steele, Messrs Brett, Critchell, Montrose, S. Lowe, and others. They Lft by the ShawSavill special train for tho decks at 10.20 a.m., and had a mild and pleasant spring niorning for tht-ir start. They are expected back in London before Christmas next. Mr Reynolds's objects in paying this visit to New Zealand I have very fully explained in former.letters. I regard bin trip as fraught with the greatest interest to the New Zealand dairy industry. Mr Reynolds hai mado a special and earnest s'.udy of tho question in all its branches and bearings, and I sjy unhesitatingly that there is no living man wh* has a more thorough grasp of thi matter, or who has devoted himself more thoughtfully to the futt'oeriag and development of this important trade. If he can succeed in impressing upon the New Zealand producers the conditions which are absolutely essential to success, aod in persuading them not only to go in for ladical reform in their method of p-oduction, packing, and shipment, but also to arrive at some systematic and methodical arrangement for the consignment of thoir produce, so that it may no longer be eacriOced—"slaughtered" as one authority justly put it—fer the Bake of clearing it at whatever loss, as was so otter the case last season, he will bave conferred a national boom on the oolony. And you; dairy farmers may rely on it that unless they turn over a uew leaf, learn to send batter of a higher and more uniform qualifcy, with more regularity, and (in some cates) with better London arrangements, they will ere long find themselves left completely " out in the cold " by Victoria. The colonial butter market EufLred a fall of some Is to 6s per cwt. last week. This reduction was somewhat unexpected in the face of the fact that stocks oa hand were light, and proved very disastrous to owners of butter ex Rimutaka. This vessel had about 15,000 cases on board, and, hid she landed her butter three or four days earlier, N^w Zialand might have netted a cool thousand or two above the prices realised.- The quality of a good deal of the bot'.er landed tx Rimutaka was by no means . firsS-clas?, patt-ally through its getting heated ' by exposure before Bhipping." New Z°al«nd is awfully unlucky in somo things. Look at lhe ?.s. Duke of Westminster breaking down and go just missing a good meat • market, as the Rimutaka did witb the butter 1 a fortnight ago. Had the Dake of Westminster [ arrived punotually her meat would have fetched , capital prices—Canterbury mutton is selling at i, 5d per lb wholesale to-day,—but now there will . be a regular rash .of steamers all comiDg in ; together, and of course down will go prices. > Wool has remained fairly steady, but with * a slightly downward tendency.

A bat can absorb and digest in one night three times the weight of its own body. Bats never have more than two little ones afc a time.