Correspondence

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 2, 19 June 1890, Page 2

Correspondence

[We are not responsible for the opinions of om correspondents.] THE BUTTEK TEADE. TO TilK EDITOR OF THE STAK Sir, — I enclose copy of a letter I have written to the Hon. Mr Richardson, Minister of Lands, respecting our dairy industry :— " To the Hon. G. F. Eichardson, Minister tor Lands, " Sir, — Having been engaged in the butter and cheese industry for some years; and being an old colonist of 30 years standing engaged in the production both of my own farm and factory; a 9 well as purchasing large quantities of butter from other sources ; also having visited the Old Country some two years ago ; and noticed the very unsatisfactory way in which things are managed there, to the causing of heavy loss both to the colony and individual producer. I beg to offer the following suggestion: — " That some practical business individual with colonial experience in the dairy industry, should receive some support from the Government, by which he would be enabled to visit the Home Country for the purpose of obtaining all necessary information respecting the proper classification of dairy produce, &c. ; as, I believe, it would be an unnecessary thing to classify such produce in the colony ; for the following reasons : — " First, however carefully classified here, the produce must necessarily undergo changes on the voyage; owing to the various methods of shipment, the changes of climate, and other unavoidable acci dents ; so that on arriving in England the classification would necessarily be altered, and that which was branded here as first class may, on delivery in London, be considered as second or third class only. This would at once weaken the confidence of the English trade in the ability, if not the honesty, of our New Zealand experts, thus rendering our classification worthless. In proof of which I may state that having shipped this season from my own factory here some 1500 packages of butter ; and although on the whole I think realised about the highest prices in the London market, yet owing to the deterioration on the voyage, and the want of proper classification, the profits were not encouraging. " In concluding these remarks, permit me to state that lam in no way seeking any office for myself, or for any relative, but merely from a desire to advance the interests of the Colony, as well as those ol my own industry." — I am &c, W. W. Cobpe.