BUTTER-MAKERS GRIEVANCES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1839, 27 August 1913, Page 10

BUTTER-MAKERS GRIEVANCES.

PROHIBITION OF PRESERVATIVES. Somo time -ago tlio Dairy Division of tho Dopartment of Agriculture issued a notice to dairy factory managers defining tlio use to bo made of preservatives in tlio manufacture of butter. A foiv years ago butter-makers found out that- tlio judicious use of bicarbonate of soda acted as a neutralisiug agent 011 tlio lactic acid in'cream. This enabled factories handling home-separated cream to deal with consignments that had become too sour, and bring the lactic acid do mi to the amount normally present in ripo cream. The edict of tho Department prohibiting the uso of the neutralising agent has caused consternation among many factories in tho North, whore home-separation is practically universal. It is urged on their behalf that tho butter-maker who knows his business can produce a manufactured article free from any defects, and often tho soda flavour for which tho neutralising agent is blamed arisos from other causes. The factory managers claim that if tho Department succeeds in- its object tho result will bo that a largo proportion of tho butter manufactured .in tho Worth will sink to sec-ond-grade, vith tlio. result of a less return to producers, and a lieavy fall iu tlio estimation in which northern brands"of' butter arc now held on the Home'market. They profess to seo in this another attempt to keep down tho hcmc-scpamtion system in favour of tho factory creamery, and predict not only 11 checks to tlio progress of dairying in tho North, but even' a great set-back to tlio ; industry generally if tho DairyDivision persist in its order beiDg carried out- in its entirety.

• There is every inclination 011 tho part of tlio 'butter men to co-operato with tiio Department ill maintaining and increasing the high quality of New Zealand butter, but—rightly or wrongly— there is a, feeling that the officials are being'used to advanco certain interests that do not mako for tho prosperity of tlio' dairy industry in tho North. The Department, on tlio other hand, urges that if cream was properly handled 011 tho farm cooled immediately after separating, kept in a shady, dry placo, with a daily delivery to the factory, and .proper care taken during transit, there should be no excess of acid demanding neutralisation when tlio cream arrives at the factory. Tlie managers retort that they aro doing their best to educate their suppliers to the, 'proper Care of cream, but for many reasons it is impossible to make a daily delivery of cream. Tlicy contend that tho uso of a neutralising agent is a necessity, and that so long as it does not injuriously affect the butter, the Department has no right to interfere. All invitation has been sent to llr. Cuddie, head of the Department, to meet tlio factory managers at a conference to be lield at Wliangarci, when tho grievances that have been simmering for some timo 011 both sides will be fully ventilated.