BUTTER FOR EXPORT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1874, 21 October 1887, Page 18

BUTTER FOR EXPORT.

The following particulars regarding the butter trade with the Fiji islands (says the Lyttelton '.times) have been hanried to the secretary of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association by Mr Meares. of the Union Insurance Company, who received it in reply to an inquiry made of a Fiji merchant regarding the butter trade in the islands. The matter is of great importance 'to the farmers of New Zealand at the present juncture:— "The paragraph in reference to tinned butter is quite correct, or, rather, was at the time mentioned, about 12 months ago. The bulk of the tiuued butter used in Fiji *as Italian, but during the last six or eight mouths it has been superseded by the New Zealand, which bas been somewhat better than it used to be. It has always seemed to us a puzzle why New Zealand could not supply the whole of the South Seas, but they have failed on account of the quality being most unreliable. Butter, as you can understand, is worthless unices it is really good, and if good butter can be rdied on by any packer, he may rest assurpd ho would soon have a large demand. We had a consignment a short time ago from Melbourne of buttcrine, which was really pronounced to bo very good, although we could not altogether endorse the general opinion. There is a very la-ge consumption all over the islands for good butter, but people prefer to do without any if they cannot get it good. We should think it an 'industry that would pay well, with very little expense in starting, and one involving very little risk to those who would invest their capital in it. We have no Ital'an butter in stock at present, otherwise we would send you a tin. The tins are nicely got up witli a patent fastener, which can be undone without the aid of the tin opener. Pisoni Bros., Sydney, are the principal importers. They used to do a very largo business in it." In further connection with this question (writes Mr Meares) I may inform you that some of the direct steamers bring with them from London a sufficient supply of butter to last for the return voyage, and this is in consequ°nce of the .Uleged inability to secure a proper supply of good butter in this colony. Surely such a state of things should not exist in what is termed " an agricultural colony."