“PREPARED” CHEESE AND THE BRITISH MARKET.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXX, Issue 3, 20 March 1925, Page 189

“PREPARED” CHEESE AND THE BRITISH MARKET.

A REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENT

G. D. MACFARLANE,

, New Zealand Produce Association (Ltd.), London.*

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The. New York Produce Review and American Creamery of 29th October last makes the following reference to this class of cheese : — There is no question that loaf cheese has played havoc with the retail demand for so-called bulk cheese in the United States. However, more and more manufacturers are getting into that end of the business, most of them well capitalized and representing large interests. Competition in loaves has grown keener and keener, and undoubtedly under the forces of this competition the margin of profit has been reduced. Our personal. opinion is that the only opportunity now for profitable development of such a line lies either in starting on a very limited experimental scale and building as returns permit, or entering the business with large capital after having procured the rights to a process which not only gives a popular produce, but which does not infringe any of the patents under which loaves are now being made. Patent rights on the processes under which the Kraft and Phoenix interests manufacture are held .y these concerns, and they do not recognize the right of a number of others to use the cooked cheese” methods that are now being used. At least one suit charging infringement is pending in the Courts to-day. The cooked loaf has the advantage of better keeping-qualities than most of the so-called natural loaves that have been brought out, though the latter are in some cases being very successfully marketed, either ground or unground. But to market loaves on a large scale, either cooked or uncooked, the investment necessary is large and the profits modest. This class of cheese is being retailed at 50 per cent, over New Zealand or Canadian cheddar prices. That being so, it will readily be seen that it is a highly remunerative proposition for the manufacturer. Ordinary selected Canadian cheddars are bought at market price, and at certain periods New Zealand cheese has also been shipped to America for these people. The question arises, Can the New Zealand dairy industry afford to ignore this new development ? In my view it cannot.

INVENTIONS OF AGRICULTURAL INTEREST.

Applications for patents, published with abridged specifications in the New Zealand Patent Office Journal from 31st December, 1924, to' 26th February, 1925, include the following of agricultural interest : — No. 51606: Milking-machine automatic cut-off; S. M. Potter, Mercury Bay. No. 5231 : Fence-dropper; A. F. Johns, Rangiora. No. 53073 : Wine preserving and maturing; A. Newmark, Fairfield, Victoria. No. 51582: Sheep-drenching instrument; R. O. Montgomerie, Makirikiri. No. 51631 : Cream-separtor drivinggear ; C. F. Shaw, Hokianga. No. 52948 : Rake attachment; W. M. Stewart, Masterton. No. 53223 : Sheep-shearing tool; Chicago Flexible Shaft Co., Chicago, U.S.A. No. 51385 : Disk plough and sledge ; R. Denham, Awatere. No. 52497 : Teat-cup inflation T. M. Timpany, Woodlands. No. 53314: Preserving-jar; A. Gunn, Sydney, N.S.W. No. 51587 : Milking-machine ; S. H. Knapp, Greytown. No. 53210 : Chicken-brooder; H. A. Dawber, Ouruhia. No. 53304 : Milkingmachine ; L. A. Sheehan, Ashgrove, Queensland. No. 53341 : Sheep-dipping apparatus ; A. C. Stewart, Arrievean, Scotland. Copy of full specifications and drawings in respect of any of the above may be obtained from the Registrar of Patents, Wellington. Price, is.

Proposed Registration of Sheep-dips. — This question was referred to the Board of Agriculture by the Department for its recommendation. At its February meeting the Board came to the decision that registration was warranted in order to prevent worthless mixtures being placed upon the market, and recommended that legislation be framed on somewhat similar lines to the Fertilizers Act.

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