BUTTER DETERIORATING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 27 July 1907, Page 6

BUTTER DETERIORATING.

IHIURTERS' SERIOUS STATEJltNTs. .Some interesting statements in regard to the butter industry were uiude to the Alinister for Agriculture (Hon, R. McXab) by members of the Dairy Exports Committee of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, who interviewed him on Wednesday. It was alleged that Nov Zealand butter is iu danger of losing its high reputation on the tandou market owing to the excessive, amount of moisture j>ermitted by some makers.

The deputation comprised Messrs J. G. W. Ait ken, M.H.R., ,1. B. MacEwan, J. fl. llarlinew, O. Shritcliffe, K. X. R. Meadows, and S. Carroll (secretary). Mr J. (I. Ilarkness (president of the Wellington Chaml>er) was the speaker who dealt principally with the alleged deterioration in New Zealand butter. He bad, he said, received a letter from a London agent that morning, which contained the following statement:—''! regret to say 1 have to listen to a great many complaint', but the most serious was in regard to the falling off in finality of our Sew Zealand butter. Kishinev has been found, and many of the buyers who had had their butter analysed for moisture found that some of the beat brands have shown 15 per cent." The writer surmised that many importers surmised that it was evidently the intention of the Xew Zealand dairy farmers to kill the saltless butter trade, but this policy on the part of some of the dairy, companies would seriously endanger the business. One buyer in England wan in trouble because 28 per cent of moisture had been found In his butUr. How it got out of New Zealand he did not know, but the writer wished to impress upon Xew Zealand makers the neceasity of sticking to the old standard of 12 per rent of moisture; Mr Shirtcliffe said he had had repeated complaint* this year that the general average, quality of Xew Zealand butter was very much below the standard attained during previous years. Mr Meadows informed the Minister that he knew of one of the liest brands, graded 93 points or over, about which ' then had been no end of complaints. The Minister: In the event of our legislating in regard to moisture in but- - tar. What ' peMfetagt should be fixed >' Mr MacEwan: The British standard is

16 per cent. The. object of the deputation was to taggetl that the finding Department's representative who is to be sent Home for the pnrposeof atudying English requirements should lx> Mr Cuddie, Chief Dairy Commissioner. It was represented that If Mr Cuddie spent three months or more in London and the subsidiary markets, he eould put himself in touch with importers, who would gladly »s>ist him in acquiring a knowing* of the conditions. If the Cliief Commmioner left in October, lie would, it wit* stated, lieJji England when the first' hrtUr- shipment* were arriving from tli? colony, nis experience wou'il enable Mm to return with clear-cut ideas in regaltf to his policy, and his oli'CiTations would lie extremely valuable, as he had the confidence of the trade. The Minister was also asked if he would continue on a more extensive scale the ex pertinents which had lieen carried out spasmodically in regard to the cool-cur-

ing of cheese. The Hon. It. MeXab slated that he

would give due weight to the suggestioas of the deputation in regard to lII* officer wlio was to be sent to England. At present he had an open mind on the subject. He did not think there would be any difficulty in meeting the wishes of the deputation in regard to the experiments in cool-curing. He would sec that a substantial forward movement was made during the coming season.