COMPULSORY GRADING

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1933, Page 7

COMPULSORY GRADING

“INJUSTICE TO BUTTER MEN.” DISCUSSION AT MIDHIRST. The alleged injustice done to suppliers of butter factories by compelling them to take up the compulsory grading of whole-milk without having had any definite say in the introduction of the regulations which, it was alleged, had been practically forced on them by suppliers of cheese factories, was stressed at the annual meeting of the Midhirst Dairy Company yesterday, but no action was taken. Mr. B. Richmond said that compulsory milk grading, which was to be introduced on August 1, was a serious matter to suppliers. An injustice would be done to suppliers unless the grading was done twice a day instead of once in every three days as proposed. The Midhirst company had turned out 100 per cent, finest grade produce and yet they were to have this injustice forced on them at high expense. He asked to be informed as to the method of testing to be adopted by the company, together with the cost. ( Mr. E. Bullot said the industry was to blame for the introduction of grading. The cheese men had “put it all over the butter men” with regard to grading, and the latter had left it too late to move, so they deserved all they were getting. Though the manager had to contend with some first and second grade milk, from which he turned out finest quality butter, grading was to be forced on them. Mr. M. Lepper said the matter had been placed before Mr. Singleton by the butter factories but the meeting was not open to the Press. The system of grading was entirely wrong. Midhirst milk was grading finest, yet at the works the butter was graded 92. During the last twelve months grading had proved a farce. Mr. E. Bullot said scientists could not guarantee the accuracy of either the curd or methylene blue test, so why should they be forced to make a differentia] payment on tests that were not correct? To a supplier the chairman said good reports had been received from Britain regarding Midhirst butter. The chairman said grading was being introduced on August 1 and suppliers must make the best of it as they could not get out of it. At Palmerston North the butter people had no chance of voting on the question as the resolution regarding milk grading referred to cheese only. It had since been applied to milk for butter-making. Butter factory directors had protested without result. , Mr. Somers asked whether it would still be necessary to have the expense of a farm dairy instructor now that milk grading was compulsory. The chairman said it would be false economy to cut out the farm dairy instructor. It cost the company only about £92 per annum and was money well expended. If all dairy companies had introduced the same scheme of farm dairy instruction throughout the Dominion there would have been no need for milk grading. Replying to Mr. Bullot the chairman said that the night and morning milk would be mixed for grading. Mr. Bullot: How absurd! The manager (Mr. Guthrie) said that of five tests the company had decided to adopt the methylene blue test. They would test every three days. If the milk graded finest the supplier would be paid for finest for the three days. If, however, it graded first or second grade the milk would be tested the following morning so as to give the supplier a chance to improve his supply. Mr. Gladding considered that with ordinary care on the farm there should be no need for grading. Mr. W. Somers moved that the night and morning milk should be graded separately. The chairman said the best way out of the difficulty would be for suppliers to endeavour to supply the finest quality raw material. It would be very expensive to grade the night and morning milk separately as besides the double grading, it would be necessary to test the night and morning milk separately, entailing additional work for the secretary. Mr. Somers: We pay for the extra work. There was no seconder to the motion, and the discussion lapsed. I - -