The Dairy Industry.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11603, 18 August 1899, Page 2

The Dairy Industry.

HALF-HOUR'S CFTAT WITH A HOME BUYER.

The dairy industry is of so much importance to New Zealand in general, and the Taranaki district in particular, that any information from head- quarters, that is ■ the Home market, is gladly welcomed. Accordingly, a Herald representative, on Thursday evening, called upon Mr McWilliam, of the firm of Mathie and McWilliam, produce and commission mer* chants, of 130 Ingram street, Glasgow, and Home brokers for the N Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co , to glean what information ccull be obtained, in the course of a half-hour's conversation, on the dairy industry from a Home buyer's point of view. PBOsprcrs for the coming season. Mr Me William said: "I hive just landed within the hab fourteen days in the colony, making a business visit, and must be Home by the end of October, preparatory to the opening of the colouial butter season. I consider the prospects of the coming season very blight indeed. Stocks in cold storage of the large centres of the United Kingdom when I left, early in June, were in very small compass. Owing to this fact the piice of Danish butter had advanced from 84s to Bi3<, ruling ob the end of May, to 104 on the 25th July. Id will, therefore, be seen that the market is a strong one, and very favourable for New Zealand butter when Jhe first arrival of the new season's butter reaches ihe Home mirkefc. lam pleased to indicate that especially in the northern markets of England - and the Glasgow muket notably— a greater recognition on tha part of the consuming public of the/choicest qualities of New Zealand creamery butter is noticeable. DANISH AND >EW ZEALAND BUTTER — A COMPARISON. Is has been eaii that the price of New Zealand creamery butter is many shillings below that of choice si Danish; that, how* ever, has not been my exparience during last year. In tha city of Glasgow the first sli-ment (per Gothic) of New Zealaud butter last season, which arrived ia December, reaped 118 a per ewt, and the last shipment of the season, which arrived in May, 963 per cwt. Danish butter, at tha time of the first arrival of New Zealand's last season's batter, was quoted at •12i's to 122 i per owfc , and at the time of the last arrival, in the month of May, at 963. NEW ZEALAND GRADING. New Zealand grading is not taken as a basis of value in the Home markets. Aa an iastance of this, on several occasions a few boxes in each of the shipments which passed through my Lands were graded with the iecond grade. I was, however, unable to detect any difference between them and the first grade, and sold them at the highest market piiuo. SCOTLAND A3 A NEW MARKET. I have had 1G years' experience in ibe Home markets, with my headquarters ia the city of Glasgow. '1 he great pro-f-peiity of th^s city, and the rapidly growing population, give, I consider, a greater assurance that higher prioeg will be realised for choicest New Zealand butter in the future than has been, obtained in the last three years. lam of opinion that the aeaaou for colonial butter will be a longer one. BEGULABITr OF SHIPMENT. I view very favourably the new ship*, piog arrangements, as undoubtedly the iortnightly arrivals ac Home will give tb.9 Home buyers greater confiienc in buying, and a guarantee to their retail clients of a much more regular supply. I think; there is a GREAT FUTURE FOR THE BUTTER INDUSTRY IN TARANAKT, as undoubtedly the quality is becox* ing choicer every year, and arrives Home in our winter months when, only the stall-fed article ia available. Since my arrival in the colonies I have visiced many of the factories in Taranaki, and have been greatly impressed indeed with their equipment and cleanly an-; pearance."