BUTTER QUOTA.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20280, 14 April 1934, Page 9

BUTTER QUOTA.

Imposition is Thought Imminent. BENEFITS OF NEW PROCESS. Just at the time when unofficial information from Wellington points to the imminent restriction on exports of butter to the United Kingdom, it is announced that the new process, which will enable butter to be shipped from New Zealand unfrozen, is a complete success. The process will enable the butter to arrive in England with all its original freshness, and so compete in quality with the Danish butter. It is believed that the lower moisture content of the new process product will become a factor under any British quota scheme, which might be brought into operation. The first calculations for a saving 'of £371,000 to the industry in New Zealand by the reduction in moisture have been accurately checked and are now thought to be conservative. Further, export would be reduced by 8000 tons, basing that figure on present output, while quality would be enhanced. The new process, therefore, wiil in a great measure meet the export restriction, and exporters are viewing the imposition of the export quota without the apprehension that would have ruled under the old conditions. Beard’s Changed Attitude. Conferences have been held’this week between the New Zealand Dairy Control Board and Cabinet, and it is understood that the board has advised Cabinet, that if the Government cannot see any other way of raising prices, the board reluctantly consents to a restriction on exports. For two years the board has strenuously opposed a quota, and it is understood that the decision was not unanimous. It is believed that negotiations with the Government are still in progress, and it is likely that restrictive legislation will eventuate. No statement has been issued by the board or by the Prime Minister, who said that the matter must be regarded as confidential till the final decisions are made. Next week the first shipment of the butter treated by the new process will leave New Zealand, so that the trials may be completed. The Christchurch inventors have completed their research here, and they claim that if the shipping arrangements are satisfactory the advance made in the dairy export industry will be revolutionary. It is explained by Mr L. Hansen, manager of the Kiwi Dairy Company’s factory at Christchurch, where the new process has been employed, that the butter is made under a vacuum process and treated by the carbon dioxide method to keep it fresh for the trip to the British market. The manufacture is of the Danish type, and keeping tests up to six months carried out locally have been completely successful. The trial shipments are small and are being carried out by private contract, but Mr Hansen states that the process enables one plant to turn out 100 tons a day, which was more than enough for any New Zealand factory. The cost of the treatment was only 7s 6d per ton. It was calculated that the new process would obtain Id to 2d more for New Zealand butter on the English market, and that the freshness would be held.to an extent enabling the New Zealand product to compete on equal terms with the Danish. g ® @ [§3 @B @ @ @ ® 113 @ @ ® ® @ 111 © @ i 3 IS