FRANK CRITICISM

Taranaki Daily News, 2 April 1934, Page 15

FRANK CRITICISM

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE BUTTER’S UNEVEN QUALITY. FINE REPUTATION OF LAMB.

Frank comments from a housewife’s point of view on the methods of marketing New Zealand produce in London were passed the other day by Mrs. G. H. Douglas, a former New Zealander, who, after 15 years’ residence in London, is completing a short holiday visit to the Dominion. “The chief trouble with New Zealand butter is the inconsistency of its quality,” Mrs. Douglas said. “Generally it is quite good, although, naturally, it has not the freshness of Danish butter, but about every three weeks we strike a pound or so that is absolutely rancid. When we make inquiries at the retailer’s, we are informed that the butter has just been received from Tooley Street and that the fault must lie with the distribution.” Mrs. Douglas considered that too large quantities were consigned at a time from New Zealand.

NO CONSISTENCY IN PRODUCT. “As New Zealanders, we always go out of our way to buy New Zealand butter, but I do not think there is much incentive, beyond the cheaper price, to induce the ordinary English housewife to run the risk of the ‘bad patches.’ ” Mrs. Douglas added. The retail price of New Zealand butter in October, when, Mrs. Douglas left London, was lid, and of Danish butter Is Id. Even at that difference, Mrs. Douglas found few people among her acquaintances buying New Zealand butter.

The fact that dairies made up their own blends of butter, wrapped under the name, “Empire butter,” also confused many people between New Zealand butter and the nondescript blend, over which there seemed to be no control. “There is room for a much more rigid supervision of retail selling,” Mrs. Douglas said. ' “New Zealand butter should be confined to one definite well-advertised brand of absolutely consistent quality. “Your cheese, of course, is hopeless,” Mrs. Douglas said. “I do not know a soul who eats it. I think its sale must be among the poorest classes. It never seems to be matured properly. Neither flavour nor texture can be compared with English Cheddar or Danish cheeses. It seems, a pity that the Continental method of manufacture is not adopted. “New Zealand lamb is very good indeed and enjoys a fine reputation. Of course it is all sold as Canterbury lamb —I do not think the average English housewife has any idea that other provinces produce lamb. It is very much cheaper also than English mutton. A leg of New Zealand lamb sells at about 4s 6d, while a leg of English lamb of equivalent size would cost 7s 6d to Bs.”