Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5, 1930. MARKETING OF BUTTER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17408, 5 November 1930, Page 6

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5, 1930. MARKETING OF BUTTER

From time to time complaints are voiced at the manner in which thebutter market at Home is manipulated to the detriment of .the producer in Now Zealand and other parts of the Empire'. Objection is primarily taken to the 'persistency with which Dominioji, ipftnlnee loses its identity, being disposed of wholesale and used for blending purposes, As a result of this practice the consumer fails to reap the full benefit of the,care which is taken in producing countries to ensure the maintenance of the highest possible quality, and as a result secure a reputation for Iris product on'the market, while the producer is prevented from obtaining the return to which liis efforts justly entitle him. It is with the object of remedying tliis position that a request has been lodged at Home for the application of the Merchandise Marks Act to dairy produce, a request that is now under investigation by the Hoard of Trade. This inquiry is of the utmost importance to New Zealand and other parts of the Empire which export butter and cheese to the Old Country, for upon the decision reached will depend the allimportant question of whether or not Empire products shall be compulsorily sold-as such, or. as in the past, shall lose their identity in the blending stores. • The Merchandise Marks Act was passed some years ago, after considerable opposition, with the specific object of protecting both producers and consumers by providing that any articles specified" by the Hoard of Trade after a full inquiry should not be sold unless plainly branded with the name of the country of origin. Already' it has been applied to a number of commodities, but up to the present New Zealand has not greatly benefited because its principal products have not been listed among those which it is necessary to mark. It, can be readily understood that the universal application of the system would involve, many difficulties, but there does not appear any reason, on the surface, why butter, in particular, should not be included. In some respects it is peculiarly well adapted for such marking, and there is every reason to believe that if action in this direction iS taken it would materially increase the demand at Home for the products of ’ this ' country. New Zealand is now providing -0 per cent, of the total imports of butter into Great Britain, agd her supplies are continually' increasing. It is doubtful, however, whether 50 per cent, of the total is actually sold at New Zealand; ■indeed, if some reports are to be believed, a great deal more than half is hopelessly' disguised in one form or another before it reaches the actual consumer. If the Board of . Trade accedes to the request to list butter for compulsory''marking it will moan that every pound sold will require to have indicated upon it the name of the country in which it is produced. That in itself would be of incalculable value to the New Zealand article, for, notwithstanding the efforts which have been made t:> keep it off the market, there is no doubt that the product, of this country has established a reputation at,Home for quality and uniformity. It is worthy of the British market on that Score alone, but an additional impetus would undoubtedly be given to its sale as a result qf the goodwill which has been established for Empire products in recent months by the political controversy concerning preferential tariffs, and by the increasing publicity spread all over the country by the Empire Marketing Board and, to a lesser extent, by the Dairy Control Hoard, Under existing conditions much of this publicity must be futile, for while the public is exhorted to buy Empire butter it is prevented by the merchants from distinguishing between the produce of the Empire and that of foreign countries. If, however, all butter is clearly marked with the country of its origin the situation will be entirely' different, for a purchaser will know immediately whether lie is supporting the industry or his own kith and kin, or whether is is helping to till the pockets of the foreigner from whom lie receives little in return. It is only by compulsory marking that publicity work can receive its full vqlue. Moreover, once this primary step is taken the way will be open for much greater co-ordination of existing advertising pietkods. la this qon-

noction the Dairy Control Board would be called upon to exercise its powers and business acumen to the full.' At present comparatively' little New Zealand butter is sold at Home in wrappers, but if as a sequel to the present inquiry, branding is insisted upon it may be necessary to revise the method, of preparing it for sale. The compulsory marking might apply* only to bulk boxes, but it is conceivable that it would be worth the extra expense to undertake wrapping, as is done locally’, and to utilise the wrapper, not only for indicating that the butter is made in New Zealand, but, also to definitely’, identify it with the Empire trade campaign, and, if it is desired, to speeiiv the particular brand of the manufacturing company. While the cost- of this wrapping would probably approach one half-penny per pound it might be more than justified by the publicity obtained and the appeal of its more hygienic packing. This, however, is a matter of detail which can only’ be fully considered when a marking order is obtained. In the meantime the result of the Board of Trade inquiry will be awaited with keen interest, for a favorable decision might be as beneficial to Empire dairy’ producers as a preferential tariff, and the enforcement of branding with the country of. origin. would undoubtedly do much to remove, the present disparity between the prices of Empire produce and those of foreign countries.