OUR DAIRY PRODUCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3117, 22 June 1917, Page 8

OUR DAIRY PRODUCE

ON HOME MARKET THE VIEWS OF AN EXPERT QUALITY ADVOCATED (Soecial lieoortor.) Paimerston North, June 21. , At the Show Grounds here to-day Mr. W. Wright, formerly. New Zealand dairy representative in London, addressed tho Dairy Conference on the subject of New Zealand butter and cheese on the London market. There was a full hall to hear the address, and Mr. A. Morton, president of the National Dairy Association, presided. Mr. Wright said that there was probably no better quality butter on tho English market than the New Zealand article. However, there wore at time.? defects which should he guarded against, because they meant loss which had to be borne by someone. Owing to varying tastes, butter suitable for one province might not bo saleable in another, so it was important for producers to adhere to merchants' instructions. The Export Cheese. Speaking of cheese, he said it was suicidal to makecweak-bodied cheese; tho commodity had a long sen, voyage to endure. Tho texture of a, large portion of our cheese was not satisfactory. Ho referred particularly to looseness of texture, which made the cheese unsuitable for cutting for retailing. In the matters of the colour and the (layout- of cheese, producers should.bo guided; by the advice of their London agents. Generally tho finish of our cheese gave satisfaction, but details that prevent damage should be strictly attended to, for if cheese wns-bpened up in a damaged condition tho result was likely to be that cheese from that source would not again be purchased. "Show" Cheese Always! British buyers wanted "show" cheeso all the year round. -If this was attended to it would bo the best possible step toward the reduction of tho gap between tho prices wo received for our produce and the prices obtained for other produce. The question of regular all-the-ycar-round! shipments was worthy of attention ; indeed, it was very important. The provincial markets might be catered for profitably, and it would be a good tiling to ship "direct to.such coaetal ports as Avonmouth, Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, and Newcastle-on-Tyne. He thought the adoption of singlecheese crates would reduce the -number of damaged cheeses. ■ The chairman said Mr. Wright's address was important, and contained vainable suggestions. What of Pasteurisation? Mr. Wright was asked if he advised pasteurisation' of all milk for chce.senijikiug. Ho said he did not advocate a- universal system of pasteurisation, but held that pasteurisation was good in cases where the quality could not otherwiso be maintained. Pasteurisation was often merely a cloak for tho farmer who did not. take proper care with his milk. If good milk were produced, there might be no need for pasteurisation. Prevention was better than cure. By pasteurising some of tho flavour of the urliclo was sacrificed. Mr. D. Prouse .(Levin) suggested thai; tho butter grades should be revised. At present anything over 88 was graded first-class, but some bujers stipulated for butter graded 92 or over, for the eimplo reiison that anything under 03 would not keep in hot weather. Dairy Commissioner on Grading Mr. B. Cutldio (Dairy Commissioner) said that tho question of si superlinu grade had been considered, and, it tlicy had it, they would have to strike the grade at 93 to allow for slight deterioration in transit. However, they had to do the best they could for the industry as a whole, and. if a 93 grade were introduced, factories might not come up to it. •At present only about fourteen New Zealand factories would reach the superfine grade—seven in Taranaki, five in Wellington, one in Auckland, and one in the South Island. He thought the average grade now reached was «bout as high as wo would get for a while. Mr. Wright agreed with his. chief, but thought ihe grade might be stiffened somewhat.

Grading Proves a Knotty Problem. Mr. P. Nathan advocated a stiffening of the grade. If they did not do that they would play into tho hands of tho margarine makers. The English peoplowanted quality, and bis experience as a consignor was that he always got moro for butter from. certain factories than for tho butter from others. There was a superfine grade for flax, and that did not result in general loss. Mr. Turner (buyer) said Mr. Nathan overlooked the fact that it was not the grade, but the brand, which sold tho butter to people who wanted quality. Mr. H. G. Hill eaid ho agreed with. Mr. Nathan that the grade should bo stiffened, because, if it were,- tho factories wno produced low-quality butter would be penalised by getting less for their article, and once the farmers' pockets were touched they would soon remedy matters. Dirty farmers were a menace. Mr. Wright observed that the reason why New Zealand produce was so popular in 'England was becauso wo had adopted a grading principle. Mr. Wright was thanked for lu9 address. " During a continuation of the discussion on grade standards it was stated that the factory which graded highest or thereabouts in Taranaki was a homeseparator factory.. The chairman gave an instance of another home separator ' factory which graded 03.6. It was resolved that the present system of grading should bo maintained, but tho minimum standard of points for first grade should be raised, v The conference rose at's p.m.