DAIRY PRODUCE NOTES. (Star's London Correspondent.) London, March 24.

Otago Witness, Issue 2046, 11 May 1893, Page 22

DAIRY PRODUCE NOTES. (Star's London Correspondent.) London, March 24.

Little can be written with any point concerning the butter market at present, for matters are just as lifeless as ever and prices are somewhat weaker. Stocks are heavy ; arrivals the same. The Easter holidays are close at hand, and — well, no revival can be looked for this season. During the past week the Nairnshire, Tekoa, and Arawa have docked, and their united cargoes of butter total over 11,000 packages. As yet very little of this quantity is in the hands of consignees, and the latter are not in a hurry for it by any means. Most of it will probably find a temporary home in the docks and freezing and cool sheds, where a not inconsiderable portion of the Doric and Rome butter is at present imprisoned. The whole of the above arrivals appear to be in very good condition, and the same may be said of the cheese cargoes of the Nairnshire and the Tekoa, which between them brought about 3500 cases. Cheese is quiet, and about Is per cwt down in value, the best quotation now being 54s London, 52s Glasgow (which equals 50s London). New "skims" have been sold as high as *48s ; but the demand for this class of produce is very slack, and the price quoted must not be taken as a guide. In spite of the fairly good rates that have been obtained for skims during the present year, one cannot advise shipments of this sort of cheese any more than of farmers' butter, for the presence of a large quantity of the stuff on the market would tend to a speedy and large decline in price, besides depressing the value of higher qualities. As a set-off against the remunerative rate quoted, I may mention thatsome large quantity of skims which had been unfavourably affected by the voyage Home were last week quietly disposed of at 8s to 10s per cwt. Whab becomes of such stuff I cannot conceive, but if it goes into consumption as New Zealand cheese the colony is to be pitied, and the people who eat it also. If some of our kind, well-meaning, but much too fussy friends in the House of Commons had their way every pound of cheese imported would have to be sold under its proper designation — "New Zealand," "Canadian," "American," or whatever country's produce it might be. The bad and mediocre would have to be ticketed as well as the good. Certain New Zealanders also afflicted with " brandomania" might ponder over this little fact (which appears to have escaped their attention) before pressing further the question of branding for retail sales. Such as are worrying themselves to this end will do well to turn their energy into a different channel. Let them set their minds on improving the makes of cheese, and so getting the colony's name up with the wholesale buyers. The retail trade can be left to take care of itself.

TOO MUCH WOOD.

Whilst down at the docks on Wednesday inspecting the recent arrivals of butter and cheese I noticed the tremendous variation in the thickness of wood used by different factories for butter boxes and cheese cases. Some of the wood used was about l-^in thick, and, taking the entire bulk .of arrivals per Arawa, Tekoa, and Nairnshire, I should say that about 20 per cent, more timber had been used for boxes and cases than was necessary. For cheese cases it is not necessary to use more than lin stuff for tops and bottoms and middles, £in (or even |in) for the side strips. These latter should not be placed close together, but kept an inch or so apart, so as to allow free access for air and t means of inspecting and testing without breaking the case. Hoop iron should be bound round the top and bottom of each case. It would be better, too, if only a couple of cheeses were placed in each case, as three make a very heavy and awkward package to handle, besides requiring more timber and nails to secure stability. As a style for butter boxes, I must plead guilty to a partiality for that adopted by the "Moa" brand proprietors, which is at once neat and easy to handle. The neatness of this particular box would be greatly enhanced if a little less stencil ink was used on the packages ; but that is a small matter. A well-made box of fin wood will stand all the rough handling likely to be encountered on this side nowadays. The "dockers" have been taught to handle dairy produce with a certain amount of respect, and breakages are much less frequent than formerly. The use of hoop iron will diminish casualties among cheese cases to the vanishing point.

STOP IF POSSIBLE.

I should like to draw attention to the fact that certain folk in New Zealand continue the malpractice of exporting farmers' butter with the brand "Finest Creamery" or "Finest Separator." If possible this should be stopped at once.

In a recently received New Zealand journal I note a passage referring to Mr Anderson's (Government instructor in butter) speech at a meeting of farmers and others interested in the dairying industry. Mr Anderson is reported to have said that "the lowest price he had known good factory butter sold for was 120s, and the highest price 142s per cwt." That a man in Mr Anderson's position should make use of such figures is, to say the least of it, surprising. Colonial bufcter has never realised 142s per cwfc or even 130s in any quantity in England, and never will unless Continental and American supplies fall off to an extraordinary extent. The Government would do well to warn its employes to confine themselves to teaching manufacture, and to leave questions of values alone.