The Dairying Industry.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 289, 9 June 1897, Page 2

The Dairying Industry.

Visit of Mr A. Clement and Mr J. B. I McEwan to Feilmng. Mr Andrew Clement, of the firm of Andrew Clement and Son, dairy produce merchants of Glasgow, London and Man chaster, is now on a visit to this colony in company with Mr J. B. McEwau, late ( dairy expert to the Now Zealand Gov- ; eminent, and who is now New Zealand I agent for tlm firm mentioned. Messrs j Clement and McEwan arrived in Feild- | ing by last evening's 4 o'clock train, going ! on 10 l'iilmer»tou by the 8.25 p.m. train. Mr Clement baa b»en through the Amtralian colonies to make arrange tnents on behalf of his firm (or consignmen's of dairy produce and has completed a satisfactory connection. His visit to , this colouy is for a similar purpose, and j to onr representative he gave eoiue of his views upon the New Zealand dairy produce trade. Mr Clement said that colonial dairy produce was aiakinp good headway in the Glasgow market. New Zealand butter was not quite so regular in quality as Victorian, and another drawback was the irregularity of supplies for whereas the Australian mail boats arrived weekly, sometimes there were j fonr weeks between the arrival of shipments from New Zealand. That of course i hampered the trade, and resulted now and then in tin; missing of a rise in the market. With regard to the future pros pects of the market, Mr Clement dne-i not think that next season will be ns good j as the one just over. When the m irkct j reached » high ievel it restricted cocsump I tion and stimulated production., and on ! that account, therefore, he looKs for easier I values next season. Mr Clement considers it would be to the advantage of this colony if it adopted the same method of conducting the export trade in dairy produce ns that now in vogue in all other countries, and consign instead of selling the season* output to speculators. There was not the same encouragement to persevere in manufacturing the best article if the produce had been sold before hand, «.* there would be if each shipment Home had to stand upon its own merits in the market. At one time when the risk was greater, it was probably the best plan to sell the output at the opening of the sftason, but now that the trade has become established he considers that taking one Beasoß with another the most profitable method wag to consign to respectable firms who are fully ncquainted with the requirements of the trade. Uniformily of quality was ibsoUuely essential, for :\ customer might purchase some butter or cheese of a particular brand and be thoroughly satisfied with it He would naturnlly »sk for more of the same kind, but if the second lot were of inferior quality he would rofuse to h»ye any more to do with that brand. Some of the New Zealand butter as it arrived in the Home market was equal to the bett Danish, but it was the uniformity in quality of the latter which enabled it to command the market. With regard to the pack* ing of batter, Mr Clement speaks strongly in favor of the cube as ngamst the oblong shaped box. The bulk of the butter now came on the market in square boxes, and the butter when opened up would stand on the counter on the round dishes formerly used for keg butter. Referring to the moisture in batter, Mr Clement was atrongly in favor of 12 per cent, as against 8 per cent, as the former was more spreadable and was better to handle. He advised that an effort .should be made to ascertain bow much moisture could be retaiued without spoiling the flavour, and suggested that a few boxen containing butter with 12 per cent of moisture should be shipped as a trial. He was in favour of a very little pre sei'vative only in batter, aad did not altogether approve of freezing, but preferred chilling. The object of Mr Clement's visit to Feilding was to interview the directors of the Cheltenham Dairy Company with a view to inducing them to consign tbair butter to bis firm. The directors— viz., Messrs W. Mitchell (chairman of the company), W. Mills, J. Bruce, W.Jones, and their secretary (Mr R. C. Terepler) — met Messrs Clement and McEwan at the Feilding Hotel and bad a lengthy discussion with them. The company were offered an advance of 8d per pound at the Feilding railway station for their output from September to the end of next Mt>r"*" u it the directors have not definitely de> ded to accept the offer, although they may do so.