CREAM TEST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19986, 19 December 1934, Page 4

CREAM TEST

TRANSPORT IN HOT WEATHER

CROWN TENANTS’ MOVE The conditions under which cream was transported from suppliers’ properties to factories and requests for information regarding the grading of cream were discussed at a meeting of the South Canterbury Executive of the Crown Tenants’ Associatioon yesterday, over which Mr J. J. Gregan presided. The Caroline Dairy Company wrote that the main reasons why cream was not graded finest were: Washing the separator once daily; storing the cream in a contaminated separator room; stirring with a stick, and leaving the cream in the sun. It was agreed that a tri-weekly collection would be an advantage, but it was questionable whether the extra expense which would have to be passed on to the supplier, was warranted. Experiments with lorry covers had been carried out and it had been found that the cream came in in better condition when the cans were bare, because by that method the air was allowed to come in contact with the cans the moment the lorry moved off. Suppliers did not like to see the lorries uncovered, however, so the covers had been attached again. Night collecting was not considered to be practical at present. The Clandeboye Company stated that it had decided to collect tri-weekly during the summer months. During I that period the limit of time during j which the cream was on the lorries would not exceed four hours, and in | the aggregate would be more like i two hours, so that if suppliers took i care to shade the cream while waiting i for the lorry to call the difficulty could ! be eliminated. Improvement on the Farm Replying to a request for the fault in the cream to be noted on the ticket, the Company said that that practice was followed where the fault could definitely be stated, but in many cases it was difficult to ascertain the exact fault and to guess was unwise. The problem had many sides and it was felt that in a great majority of cases improvement could be effected on the farm. Mr R. Yates said he thought the move taken by the Association had had the effect of improving conditions on the farm. Farmers were being more careful and, in his experience, a good deal of the trouble was due to carelessness. Dissatisfaction with the system of testing was expressed by Mr J. Harris, who said that the human test was not infallible. If a man were testing eight cans, and the first he tested was bad, then the noxious taste remained in his mouth for the rest of the test. There should be some standard to which they should grade. XJ n f° r ~ j tunately, he could not suggest any alternative method. After further discussion the correspondence was received. Increment on Wheat. By request a deputation from the Wheat Brokers’ Association attended the meeting to explain matters in connection with the fixation of wheat prices. They pointed out that the only way in which South Canterbury could regain the trade it had lost during the last two years was by the postponement for a month of the increment payable on April 1. The South Canterbury harvest was not ready for threshing until a month later than the North and Mid-Canterbury grain, with a result that SoutA Canterbury millers bought up supplies before the local harvest was in condition to sell.

After discussion it was agreed that a deferred increment would increase sales of South Canterbury wheat and would give growers a chance to find markets locally and in the North Island. A sub-committee was set up to attend a meeting with the South Canterbury Wheat Electoral Committee and representatives of the Farmers’ Union and Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which the secretary was instructed to arrange. On the motion of the chairman a vote of thanks was accorded the deputation for their information.