MOISTURE IN BUTTER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13992, 25 August 1909, Page 4

MOISTURE IN BUTTER.

LONDON MERCHANTS' VIEWS.

In a letter to Messrs. E. Griffiths and Co., their local representatives, Messrs. Mills and Sparrow, produce I agents, of Todfcy Street, London, write under date July 13 interestingly on the moisture in .butter question, and we have been^ permitted to I make some extracts. -^ ' . The matter was brought up in the House of Commons by an Irish member, Mr. Plynn, who asked whether the attention of the Board of Agriculture had been called to the fact that of 17/ samples of New Zealand butter taken by the Government at New Plymouth, "including Auckland and Wellington, . over 115 contained over 16 per cent, of moisture, and some of them from 20.25 to 25.50 per cent.; and what steps, if any,* had been tiaken to protect importers and consumers in Great Britain. ; ' Sir E. Strachey replied that the board had seen the report referred to. The Customs officers took samples of butter at the ports as it arrived, and proceedings would be taken if it was found to contain more than the legal amount of moisture. The writer of the tetter, Mr. G- PSparrow (who, by the way, intends to vSit New Plymouth after thetChambers of Commerce Congress at Sydney, which he will attend), proceed* that t&ri-Irish members are "going* for New Zealand butter for all it v worth," because it has been, and is during the season, a very serious competitor of th« Irish creamery. Thejr art asking these .questions with the object of damaging New Zealand butter and helping the Irish butter industry. Those (like Mills and Sparrow) interested in New .Zealand cannot do much to counteract this influence because "it is undoubtedly the case that quite a few of the factories have come with an. excess of moisture;' and it would be very difficult for us at this end to get over these hard facts. . . We think everything will come out right, provided our .friends in New Zealand will only see to it that tha butter does not contain more than the» 16 per cent, All spft» of influences will be brought t# bear upon the makers, shippers, and everyone interested in the industry, in order to induce them to make" the butter with a low percentage *Bf moisture, bat we certainly do not advocate this. All we advocate ia that the shippers should send us butter which will comply with the regulations and keep us aD out of the Law Courts."

Mr. Sparrow then goes into the question whether this extra moisture is detrimental to the quality or reputation of the butter. He thinks the general public does not like too harsh or dry a butter, as it does not spread easily. Those who want the butter for blending purposM, of course, say the butter must be dry, "bat we take it that our friends in New Zealand, if they are looking to their permanent and future interests, want to have New Zealand butter sold for what it is, and do not • ant it to be manipulated in any way, or to disguise the fact that it is New Zealand Cutter," He has no hesitation in saying that no man in the trade has had any complaint on account- of the moisture in the butter being up to 15 per cent., and the only argument that could be used in favour of the low percentage would be that #it suits the birnder or the speculator. He does not «ay that blending is not legitimate, but says it is a question whether it is to the .ultimate advantage of the New Zealand producer to get himself this butter into the hands of just a few men, rather than have it distributed in the Way his and other firms like his are distributing it, and thus getting brands known, in addition to the fact that it Is New Zealand. When butter is sold to, the blunders, its identity as New Zealand butter is absolutely lost/ so that retailers know nothing about it, and Mr. Sparrow is convinced that factories would benefit in the long run if they arranged for their butter to be dibtributed regularly every fortnight, or every week for preference, among tho retailers, exactly as what they are — New Zealand butter of such and' Such a brand. Thus a brand acquires a 1 name for itself.