IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1933, Page 9

IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY

.‘FARMERS DOING THEIR BEST* REPLY TO UNION REPRESENTATION TARANAKI EXECUTIVE CRITICISES. Strong criticism of the Dairy Produce Board’s reply to representations concerning the quality of dairy produce made by the North Taranaki executive of the Farmers’ Union was uttered by members of the executive at yesterday’s meeting. The executives resolution, which was sent to the the Prime Minister and the Ministers ofAgriculture and Finance, urged the Government to take steps to ascertain the cause of discoloration and other reported faults of New Zealand cheese, to set up a commission of the best available experts and to give consideration to the proper maturing of cheese before grading and shipment.. • , , The branch’s resolution would toe placed before the Dairy Produce Board at its next meeting, the secretary (Mr. T. C. Brash) notified. The board had; been doing its utmost to deal With the matter and did not think any blame could be attached to the board for neglect in any shape or form. The branch stated there was a decided opinion regarding the inefficiency of the board’s representatives in England. As a matter of fact, the secretary stated, the board had no representatives in England, as all the cheese experts there were under the control of the Dairy Division. , . , , It was a little difficult to understand why a meeting of farmers should criticise the board in connection with the . moisture content of cheese. The moisture content of cheese was entirely in the hands of directors and managers of factories. In many cases the managers had not had a fair run as the directors had intimated that they must increase the yield of cheese and in many instances they could do this only by increasing.. _ the moisture. The blame for increased moisture content must lie with the factories, and the farmers should pass a motion regarding their own tactics in this connection. PROBLEM of DISCOLORATION. While the problem of discoloration had not yet by a long way been , solved, the letter continued, there was evidence; that that and many other troubles were due to the quality of the milk being delivered to factories. More .attention at farmers’ gatherings should be' given to this phase of the question. The board must carry its responsibility and he' thought it was not neglecting this. Until the farmers realised they too must carry their share of the responsibility there was little likelihood of there being any improvement in the quality of New Zea-, land 'cheese, ’ ” / *’ “It is ridiculous for Mr. Brash to say quality is a matter for factory directors,” said the chairman (Mr,. H. E. Blyde). “How can one factory try to set about : making an ideal quality cheese if their, suppliers go to a neighbouring factory • next year. . It, can be dona only nation-; ally, and it is' ridiculous for one factory: ’ to attempt to pioneer improvement in: quality. We at. Lepperton ..went: for; quality, but we received no. more- for our cheese. The only thing that canbe done must be done by all factories'" in tha country.” Mr. H, A. Hunt suggested that it b< put before the Government that the matter of moisture content be dealt with nationally. • . A premium for finest cheese was suggested by Mr. Blyde. He thought there was a general impression abroad that the farmer was not prepared ,to carry his responsibility. Tho farmer was doing his part. Nothing was perfect yet, he knew,- but 'an improvement was being effected all the time. i It had been suggested, said Mr.-L, Hickford, that the quality was due to ithe conditions of machines, but he was' /sure machine milking was fax cleaner jithan hand milking had ever been. ' Other members quoted instances of the attempts being made by farmers and the z interest taken by them in different aspects. . ' . Mr. Blyde; It all goes to show that the farmer is doing his best to improve the raw material. We certainly must make every effort to improve our quality .still more. “We cannot afford to let this letter go unchallenged,” said Mr. J. F. . Phillips, ’ The secretary and the chairman were instructed to draft a reply to the Dairy Produce Board.