THE FARM INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 602, 2 September 1909, Page 8

THE FARM INDUSTRY.

BALLANCE'S DOUBLE RECORD.

: W«Y WITHDRAW? '. THE AUCKLAND BUTTER CASE. :.' '■'• Tlie:Government's application for pcrrais-sion-to withdraw tho. prosecution-against the New Zealand Dairy Association at Auckland for alleged, exportation of over-moist butter will be sure to arouse keen interest among dairy farmers, tlio Auckland- firm .being the greatest, 'and'-therefore the ■■.-best-known,-butter-makers in New Zealand: Tlio'Department of Agriculture, however, refuses an explanation beyond the actual wording, of their' telegraphed instructions produced by their counsel in the Magistrate's Court. The, Secvotary for. Agriculture, ■ Mr. F. S. Pope, said, in reply to an inquiry from a Dominion reporter.yesterday, that he had no explanation that.he desired to give; in fact, he did not know tliat any further .-explanation W3S necessajy. ' . .-"'"'• It appears pr"obablo that as the'Tvithdrawal was opposed by the defending counsel, aiid tho case was 'reinstated. and merely adjourned, fuller details of the reasons of tho proposed withdrawal will bo. divulged when tlie case'is resumed. ■ ■ .

WHAT OUR BEST CUSTOMERS SAY. .;.... :. ■ .. . / . . ; .'•' • ';' THE QUESTION IN : PARLIAMENT. . Som_etim,o. ago tho Now Zealand High Commissioner in London (Hon. Hall-Jones), in telegraphing about tho moisture in NewZealand . butter, '..Elated that' a question on' the subject -was 'to. be asked in the British Parliament. , That question apparently was asked-by. Mr. Flypn, M.P. for South Somcriset, on' July" 6, for ."The Grocers' Gazette" of Jtily. ,10.. contains the followiiug paragraph':— '', •■■ . ;'.';, ■' -■■ . :'!Oii Tuesday, Mr. Flynn asked the honourable member, for South Somerset, as representing the : . President of the Board ,-ot' Agriculture, whether his attention ;has been called, "to: , , the- report . of the analysis of samples of butter taken by the. New Zealand 'Government at New .Plymouth," including Auckland ..and -Wellington: is. he. aware -that of -177 samples taken over 115 contained over '16 per "cent, .moisture, and'some ofthem showed '-percentages of- water varying from. 20.25,, to 25.50; whether he - .can: say if tho butter .imported from rNew ; ;Zealand into this .country is 'Government graded; and what steps, 'if any, .are taken by tho Department in conjunction with tho Customs or other -responsible. .Government ■ Departrhent,. to. protect importers and; consumers of butter m Great Britain.-rMr. StrachoyJ in :reply,' said' they -had , seen the 'rcppct'i'.to which- tho honourable member referred.'.Under ■~tho--New■':Zealand Butter Export , ; Act, /which-, cume, .operation on January 1,. 1908,; it is. illegal to x export butter containing, lnoro.than,lGper ceiit.vof wator;: All. butter -exported' from: Ncw : Zealand to this -country is now Government graded, and analysed by .Government"-analysts:'. The Customs officers /take; samples of it' at the ports at'wilich. it arrives, and proceedings will be taken if it is found to'ebntain inbre,than the.iegal amoiin.t ■ 0?' moisture." .:;;:;. ''' :'■'■' ','.'■' . ;-: .

y:r MR,, CAMERON EXPLAINS AWAY: ; , ; 'ln the-following week.the:same-trade papei published;.'f r'on'i ■ the -Now ':Zealand 'Produce ;CSohitnissio'n'cry Mr. H. C.■! Cameronj: the following letter: —,-''■■ - --■: ' : :!_!;.'■ A.V . \ ■). ' ; (To tho .Edjtor of' "Tho^Grocers , Gazette;") :>. Sirj-Alir the curront- issue of your valued jcuriial, in the : scctidu.'. headed "The Trade in i-arljament,".. reference js- iriade ;to . ques; .'tioiis.-.asked in the :Hous6'- : <jnGoni.nions .by ■Mr. !.l''lynn concerning iiioisture'.iivf.Npw Zea-' land: butter.- ., Thnso.'ques.tipns.jMdj/.r.ofe'renc'o .'li- analyses* .mate'-jli-VNew-. 'Zealandf-'by ~th'o .jKo,yern.ra^ 16. : per., of.{^raqisturoA^a'S^founds' As |, lynn\s^.questions. is under ;tho impression"'that•■|butter" found on analysis to contain this excess, moisture-'is iexpprtecl.;from Vi tlio 'Dominion : to , this-.coun. ■■try,': , I trust, that permit me .'ip'-?explain", : -.for the'beiielit of your numerous ! i;ca'(Jcrs; tho true position.^ '.'. ; ' ; {- '■;■"' /.•When, the 16 per cent, mojsture standard 'lor'butter'.'was fixed by. law in England, the .order that this should .be''fcomplied';with by tbo butter makers in the'. Dominion, , psssed an Acti The .'New. Zealand jßutter Export : Act—which canio:into force on January 1,. 1903,' making ii/.ill.ogiil'to export butter..containing .mpro than',l6 per.''cent, moisture..: In niany iiiewlj , - 1 settled "districts,, however.' (especially in .the [.northern '.■;'part,v..of_ '. Auckland,, province :where ...tho ; climate.' is. ' cooperative'creameries, were being- erected, in which it .was'/.kiiown , that tho latest appliances for, controlling temperatures ■' dtiriny Uutter. manufacture were" not" always . aval'lable. •'. Tho Government 'therefore instituted a vsystem of" carefuK , analysis,', for .moisture of : all butters coming into the grading centres,so as. to ensuro the export of.only. ■ butter.: containing the . legal - limit of moisture. The ,-roport, of the analysis referred to-by Mrl-Flynn includes buttors'. from .tho •\v'arm 'districts^iir.-'AuckJand,--hence -.the"excess'• rioted by. llini.;.. ■. : •■;. 's-:..'-..'. ;, -'- -V ! :

The. Now- Zealand. Government, recogiiis'ing the difficulties to be contended with in 'newly settled;■ "districts, , , does not prohibit the sale, -for local consumption, of butter with moisture,''.in excess.of. 1Q por pent. Consequently, ',hutter\ found' on-, analysis to oxceed - thb'iiniit is not-debarred from sale within ..ÜbeV Dominion',' although it'- is prohibited for export.. ■: -... . • •,-'■•■ .The system of analysis introduced by the New Zealand-Government is undertaken to ensure that the English standard is complied with and .'is. for the protection of importers and'consurffers'.of■'. New Zealand butter in Great i3ritain.-fl: yours, pte, >. . ■'—;;'■:' ;; ' ;: ' V'V'H, C. CAMERON, '■"■ '■':'■'"' ■ > Produce Commissioner, .. for tho New Zealand Government ■ '13 Victoria-Street; S.W., July 13, 1909, V

biggest ifrice, biggest make. > ::;; ; / ;; uthe-cheesE;Bival: ./.■,:- : . , At the v annual meeting of tho shareholders of Ballanco Dairy Company at Pahiatua on Monday,; the chairman,' Mr. A. 'M'Farlane, said that the season had beena record one for,.-. price and quantity!mannfactured, while the high stacSard of "quality had'been main-, tainedi The: year's transactions had shown the; wisdom of'selling their butter in Now Zealand rather, thau it to London, the difference ■ in price l having been from id.- to Id. per pound in favour of selling locally. The increase iu the output last 'season was;7.rtons'..; At'thb.Ballanco factory, tho-quantity of'milk delivered was 4,651.7111b., yielding 179,717.341b. ,butter-fat, a decrease: on "the \ previous'- year , -of '51>5561b.' butter-fat; at the Makomako skimming sta-. tiou the quantity, of •" milk - d.eliverod w'as> ,11,235,40411);,.; yielding '85,2001b.' butter-fat/ 1 a' decreaso 0f , .. 1231b. buttof-fat; at the Konini factory, tho quantity of milk delivered, was 7,802,6361b., yielding but-' t'er-fat, an;inbreaso."of. 60.7721b. butter fat; at. .tho'. Scarborough skimming"ntation tho. quantity of .milk dolivered was. 2,758,6401b., yielding 105,713.881b. butter fatj an increase of 94891b. butter-fat ; ; a t the Hukanui skim-' ming- station tho quanUty:of liiilk deliveredwas 4.063,5911b., yielding'l6l,o4o.lolb.. but-' ter-fat; , an increase of"-,43,3111b. butter-fat; at tho'Hamiiia skimming station, the quantityof milk delivored was yield-. ing-170,617;101b. bi)ttcr-fat, an increase of 48;2951b. butter-fat. Tho' test's wero as fol-. low:—Ballance, '3.884;- Makomako, 3.811; Konini, 3.819; Scarborough, 3.831 3.963; Hamuav 3.984, '■'. tho average being 3.876. . /The net increase of butter-fat was ■-115,-1881b.:' Tlid quantity of butter .manufac-. hired- at tlid Ballancc factory was between 136 and 137-tons'(a decreaso of 23' tons), and at the Konini. factory 378 tons (an ilicrenap of 94 tons), the total quantity manufactured being over 514 tons, and, the net'incmaseyas already stated, 71 tons. The over'ruiVai tlio Ballance fnctory was .15.42 per' cent.,- -find at, tho Konini'. factory 13.98l)cr cent.,. or .an nverngo of ~14:38 .petvv'-'Cent.,.- ;-■ ;.:The.'■ average ;••■■ price ■'.-: "rc7 ceived' per pound , bf butter-fat was 11.223d.j 'rihd'the aver&Ro'prico-advanced to- eui)pliflra'was lO.fiOld.! lcavias a surplus on but-

ter-fat of -787 d. per pound.. The cost per pound of manufacturing butter, and dolivorlng'same f.o.b. was 1.335 d. ■ -.■-'.-. -. The- Rival Cheese Factory. ' The chairman attributed tho decrease in the quantity of mill; supplied to tho Ballanco factory; to the; fact that-'a'-'cheese •■ factory had ; beon started at Ballanco. It,was not proposed to pay interest on s'haro capital this year, but to., distribute among the suppliers a sum/Sufficient, to. .-b.ping Mio.buttieriat payments up to 11 Jd. jier pound, and to put the .remainder".to' a reserve, fund to meet depreciation of plant. ■: Some of the 'Shareholders who had withdrawn.their sup-. E lies.would no doubt complain, but'if shareolders sold their milk to;an opposition factory the cost of manufacture was increased, and that was hardly fair'to the men who stuck to the company. The average grade mark for the year was 91. .The'overrun was greater than usual. That'- was ' due to the. .combined churns which were in. use, and it was mt-ended to put in" a larger ■■ one" at Koiiini. .The shareholders had probably noticed that the directors intended installing a pasteurising plant, at Kbnini, which , would enable the suppliers to feed their cows through the winter on., turnips , and other root crops, -as tlio pasteurisation.'-..0f ' tho cream would, liiivo .'the effect of destroying 'all objectionable flavours. If ( the experiment 'worked satisfactorily at IConini,.as tlio directors believed; it would, tho cream would bo treated in' a similar way at .the/Ballanco factory. In. that, way-tho directors ."joped to give tie suppliers, an-advantage which'they could not obtain from tho cheese manufacturers. During the' past eeason*tlie. direc- ! t-ors had indented 70 tons of basic ; Blag, at £4 2s. 6d. .on the rails, thereby saying for the suppliers £1 a ton. It was proposed to do,:tho same thing again during tho coming season. ;..; ■ .-■ -.-. ' ; . .'■.- * ; Pasteurisation- and Overrun. Mr.\ Holdaway asked,if the.pasteurisation of the cream, would improve the quality of ■thi butter.' : ;:;... ,\ .I-- ' : ) ■■• Tho chairman replied that, pasteurisation had been carried buj;' at Mangatoki for the last two years, 1 -and. that company had got tho best price for butter Bold: on consign-, ment. Ho read the opinione of Government experts, which were - strongly favourable to pasteurisation..... ■'... ;.;i ■-.'.-.. .'• '~/ • . . , ■ -. Mr; Holdaway: Do you .'think- the extra overrun is .an : advantage?. ■. ,' . . : ■The chairman said the extra, overrun-re-i rrresetitcd £1000. The average grade, last year was 91:58. When they got an,average like that he did not. think tho overrun, had affected the butter milch. .. .

Mr. HoldaWay 'asked. if - sliim-niilli .would also'bq> pasteurised;'!.-■■ • : •"•'" .'.'■.:; .', ~: Tbcchairman. replied that the plant would, ouly.be capable df 'dealing,with tho cream.'' •In answer,to further questions.the.ohair•mari,. said tlio basic slag indented last, year was of tho same quality as the slag used in' Taranaki—waspartof the same shipment, in fact—and-contained. H.o per cent..of phosphoric, auhydrido. They.had now got a quotation iit :68s; 'Gd. per ton with 18V per cent., of phosphoric anhydride, which would" be:cheaper per- unit than. ; the'.'slag-,they. indented last year. .'■,,.: -, : ■ . ; i ''Messrs. M. . Galvin and '11. Hirst were elected directors.. ■.'• ' -'~..■ : . . . )■■ .-■'. > A.Fighting'Byrliaw. .'•...;( ■;>.' The chairman., read' tbo following by-law which had lately been'. adopted by resolution of the directors:—"Should any shareholder in- the^allance -. Co-operative Dairy. Company, Limited, at any time \during a season (fronr.July 1, to. Juno 30)''sell ; ;any of , his milk otherwise-than , to'the said company the price which such, shareholder shall rccoive' for milk.. supplied to the -said company during- such season shall bo , the same piice as the said company shall ' pay'.'-- , 'for I milk- suppliodl by lion-shareholders during such season. If any such , shareholder shalll ho paid a higher price than .ho i is' entitled | to,.under:this regulation h.o shall refund 'the , I excess upon ■ demand::. -, s This; regulation to I take effect as. .from..Sentember,:l9o9.",, Tho' chairman 'explained that .the! 'object of the by-law was.to pr.otcctthe--shareholder who /was a. regular supplier" and' to, prevent' the practiso fronr arising of.gbiiig frora'omr factory .to'.'.'another.,;-. 'The' , ' more? :inilk : they.; received' the .lower would bo the'cost of-maTiufacture,";and-iF ,sohio sharoholders , : sold their- milk to -an., opposition -,(cheesy), factorj during -the, best. months of the year ■ for. the sako of an extra.farthing, the'cost.ofinianufacturo was, increased. In ..illustration of what he meant:.he 'out -that Jast season.'tho extra 71: tons 'manufactured had' only increased. thq cost by £23; Tho' , 'cost of manufacturing (butter•; at ; Ballanco last year was.l.Oold. per pound, 1 and;at'Konini. 0.735 d. Butter-fat had" been supplied to' tho two factories by the different ,'sldmming' stations at the following cost per .pound, 'inclusive of .wages; fuel, >11 otlier. requisitesVand '. cartago:—Mako'makp (to Ballanco) ,533 d. ScarborougK (to Konini) ;462d, Hukamii (to Kouisi) .321 d., Hamua (to Konini) .32W. '~:;■■/: :■-.. .•,.- •-..-, ~ •-.■.. -~,.;.

■ ; .'.;.''■.(•'Offers.from-Merchants.\' f ■'■■ Keforring to > the j outlook for ---the. presentj. season, the chairman''.said I .that 'the.. merchants wero only' offoring lfljd'. to lOJd;, except for liext;' month ■ (Septeinher), for which they wore/ offering up to lid.'. If<tho directors could 'not- get-good prices", they could consign to tho Home market, and ho , believed they, would- then .be? on a. good wicket, because' there "was ] moro cheese ? 'ia tho stores , than ■ most. people were- aware of. The position was ,a'fairly'..rosy one. . : Subsequently Mr...'A, M'Farlano was',unanimously re-elected chairmanj of - : directors.