THE BUTTER TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1059, 23 February 1911, Page 8

THE BUTTER TRADE.

COMPLAINT.S BEGAEDKO' FISHINES3. (By Telegraph.-Hpecial Corvwpondcnt.l Auckland, February 22. With reference to the cabled complaints regarding flshiness in New-Zealand butter, an Auckland butter merchant, Been on the subjcct, said tho tishlncs3 referred to was roally a dirt flavour, and could bo caused by utensils that were not properly cleaned. In the past this taint ,had seldom been found in Now Zealand makes, but it was quite common in certain Australian butter. Tho crcamcry system in vogue in New Zealand during past years prevented, complaints of this kind, but latterly the system of home separators had como Into use, and thero was a. possibility that tho machines wero not always-. ;as. carefully' cleaned as they might be, and this . probably had' given eomo reason lor complaint. Another merchant on being seen considered thero was not much ground for any general complaint, hut admitted that there might bo some isolated cascu whore the butter was "flshy." He thought it rather strango that during last season, when high prices wero ruling, thero was no complaint of this kind, and now, r.t tho latter end of tho season on a dragging market, these complaints wero being put forth. Speaking on tho difference in prico between Danish and New Zealand butter, one merchant said thero must bo somothlng radically wrong with the present methods adopted for the disposal of New Zealand butter on tho London market. - A largo wholcsalo firm at Home had rocontly dls-' trlbuted a circular to their clients in England eulogizing tho fino quality of Now Zealand butter, yet the nigh Commissioner's cablegram stated the prico of New Zealand grass-fed butters at 1055., and tho prico of Danish fodder-fed butters at 123-s. on a strong market. This difference in prico had been gradually becoming moro pronounced. At the present tlmo it could be partly accounted for by the fact that only small quantities of Duqfsh wero coming forward, but this did not account altogether for tho great difference. Tho opinion was expressed that New Zealand butter was not sufficiently advertised on the llomo market. Danish butter had been firmly established In popular estimation, and tho fino qualities of the Now Zealand commodity were not so well known. What was wanted wns a combination of tho factories to send Homo >a wan thoroughly conversant with conditions prevailing in the Dominion. Such a representative could got into touch with the wholesalo and retail merchants in Great Britain, and demonstrate tho nuality of the New Zealand butter. Roughly speaking, there were about <OCO tons of butter exported from the Auckland province alono in a season, and the cost of tho services of a competent man at £1000 a year, with, ray. £IKO to £1500 for expenses, would only amount to about one-fixteenth of a penny on' each pound of bnttcr exported. This expenditure in tho courso of a year or two would be amply repaid in increased values. as tho quality of tho butter became better known. If tho wholo Dominion combined to send a mnn. the cost, could onlr amount to about 1-32 of a penny per pound of butter exported. Something of, this kind would havo to bo dono in tho near future, as farmers would wake up to the fact that with tho high prices being paid for firstelass dairy farms, they could not affordto allow tho prico of butter to drop bolow 100s. per cwt.