THE FARM INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 592, 21 August 1909, Page 8

THE FARM INDUSTRY.

TRICKS''-WITH THE MILK TEST. QUEER CHARGE ACAINST FACTORIES. ONE CHEMIST'S OFFER. Exactly whether those hieroglyphics that tho manager pencils up at his factory in tho oarly, frosty time of mornings," tell tho true or a false story of how much huttor-fnt floats in each supplier's milk is a question that inquisitive dairy farmers would dearly liko to hear answered. A doughty man up Normanby way has answered it. Ho is Mr. Goodland, chairman of tho Normanby Dairy Company. Ho says in effect that tho tost is "faked." Let it bo added, quickly, howover, that ho docs not , lovel this chargeat.'tho head of his own manager. Ho wisely confines its application to "tho other fcflowi" Writing with reference to Mr. Goodland's statement, the "Taranuki Daily Nows" of Thursday said:— "It was a very sorious mattor, and one- of tho very greatest importance) to dairy 'farmers,-which was broached tho other day by Air. Goodland, chairman of directors of tho Normanby Dairy Company. The- gist of his statement was tliat in some dairy companies the suppliers received what was really a "fictitious price for their butter-fat. Ho alleged that in certain eases managers kept down the test, so that tho suppliers wcro paid for less butter-fat than they actually supplied. By this means the company was enabled to pay a greater price for its raw material Should this bo allowed? Is it honest?' If it is honest, is it justifiable oven in commercial competition ? Few peoplelike to be told they are not honest. Few admit they aro dishonest. But thoso directors who instruct.' tho managers to "read down" the test can hardly lay claim to a spotless-b'onosty; neither, for' that matter, can the managers . who lend themselves to the deception. "Tho suggested remedy is independent .testing of the milk. Managers object to anything of the kind. The honest manager opposes tho idea becauso it looks like an aspersion upon his character. Tho other class of dairy factory managers will light the proposal to the death., Mr., Goodland's indictment niay bo taken as'the word of a man who knows what ho is talking about, so there can bo little doubt of the existence of malpractice, in the 'past." "'•' ■ His Own "Auditor." ' -; The "cute" manager, testing, his own niilk supply, his own overrun, his own skim-uiilk, and so on, can "work a point," just as could tho secretary 'of • the company if ho were' allowed to audit his own accounts. "Tho allegation mado.is that the tests aro read down one point. That,' is, milk testing, say, 3.8, is purchased on a 3.7 test; 4- per cent, milk is taken in'and paid for as-though it contained only 3.9 per.cent, of butter-fat, , and so on. Work this, out, and it -will bo found that tho lc-ss to ■ the" supplier is somewhere between two and three per cent. In'»a £100 cheque tho supplier, oses £2, £3, or £4, or, to bring it closer home, the supplier* who draws £50 on the 'faked' test is entitled to £51 odd, £52,.0r thereabouts. Any farmer can reckon up what ho would havo gained bad his test been one point higher,'or lost had it been a point lower. '■ . A Chemist, and a Cure. "What is the remedy? Tho suggestion is that tho- testing of suppliers' milk samples, should bo dono , independently, of, the -factory '■ staff. We l aro given .to understand that a fully qualified chemist- is>.in communication with some-of tho trading'.dairy companieswith', a .'view of establishing a 'central testing station for Taranaki, where ho -estimatesthat the whole of the milk samples' of tho district could bo tested at a minimum of cost —estimated, at one-quarter per centum of the milk cheque—or three-fifths of a penny in the pound. , . . , "The gentleman above-mentioned' is prepared -also to test_ daily tho manufactured product of the factories, the by-products (skim-milk,' wh-ey, the over-run), and watersupply: He is of opinion that the. testing ■of cows might with advantage bo incorpor-ated-in the arrangoment, togother with ■tho analysis of soils, and so om In support,of the proposal. ■ to analyse. the ''butter daily, for moisture and so'ori, , it is argned that'.the British"■ buyer would place some weight upon the ■'certificate of an independent analytical chemist, and would-bo prepared to deal upon that basis." • ■ -■' ■ ■. • . ' •