OUR SKIM MILK CHEESE

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1930, Page 12

OUR SKIM MILK CHEESE

STANDARDISATION LOSS TARANAKI DAIRYMAN'S OPINION. DOMINION FARMER PROGRESSIVE. The disquieting fact that a great proportion of the British public now regards New Zealand cheese as almost a skim milk product owing to standardisation was revealed by Mr. E. G. Betts to a News reporter yesterday. Air. and Mis. Betts, “Holly bank,” Okaiawa, who returned this week from a six-months’ trip to the British Isles, kept in touch with farming methods as practised there and also learnt as much as they could of the market position of New Zealand produce. Another practice finding little favour with home authorities is that of waxinn,,) the cheese., It was contended, said Mr. Betts, that, what was gained in the way of less shrinkage by waxing in Nev Zealand was more than lost by greater shrinkage and cracking upon opening at the end of the voyage. “Three of the biggest houses in London are dead against standardisation as adopted by many New Zealand factories,” declared Air. Betts. Io give me an idea of the state of our cheese on the Home market as compared with that of Canada, a director of one of these firms procured a sample of each and broke them before my eyes. The Canadian full cream product bioke comparatively cleanly; the New Zealand cheese split in layers asi an axe handle breaks.” They had had the cheese question thrust upon them on another occasion and that, too, seemed to emphasise that there was something radically wrong. In company with Airs. Betts he was talking to Mr. W. Wright, New Zealand Government Dairy Inspector,’ at New Zealand House and, in the short time that -they were there, the office telephone rang five times with retailers complaining, to Air. Wright that their New Zealand cheese was below standard. „.. “WARNED AIONTHS BEFORE.” Air. Wright remarked that he was very worried over the whole question and said that he had warned the Dominion months before of the dangers of standardisation. “The people regard our cheese as a skim milk cheese,” said Air. Betts. At present it looks as if we have lost the market, and, if that is the case, it will take us a considerable time to regain our

position.” With regard 'to the actual farming methods in vogue in the Old Country, Mr. Betts is of the opinion that New’ Zealand is by far the more progressive. The British farmer was prejudiced against the use of milking machines, many considering the practice “unnatural.” “When one Shropshire farmer gave that as his reason,” said Mr. -Betts with a smile, “I asked him'if he really thought hand milking was any more natural.’’ The. greater part of the cheese and butter made in Britain was manufactured on the farms, and, during his travels, Mr. Betts could not remember seeing a single factory. “It can easily be seen that more time is spent in making the cheese than we give it in this Dominion. It is probably in our rush for production, with its corresponding loss of care, that we lose on our product. The British farmer, said Mr. Betts, was painstakingly careful in the conservation of his hay.' No trouble was too great provided it gave him a greater chance to “get it in” in good condition. Cocking was done a good deal to give the hay p, better chance of escaping rotting in the rain during bad weather. “But,” concluded Mr. Betts, “as regards implements, machinery and methods there can be no doubt that we are ahead of the conservative British farmer. The only milking machines I saw in use during" the whole of my stay were those beTohging to an agricultural college.”