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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2109, 7 February 1908, Page 2

ANOTHER STEP FORWARD. New Zealand lamb and mutton has long been recognised :u> tho finest quality in that lino of produce that any country lias been able to shix) to the Old Country, but according to a cable in this morning’s issue, another feather lias been placed in tho eip of the Dominion as an exporter of high-class produce. Ever since our fanners embarked upon the dairy industry in earnest, tlioro has been a. constant endeavor to keep up tho standard of our exports, and very substantial assistance was given lay the Government through tho buttergrading branch of the Department of Agriculture. Tile direct effect of this Government supervision has been that our butter has invariably realised higher prices than that given for Australian butter, although natural conditions should bo quito as favorablo for our neighbors as for ourselves. Th at they realise the importance of this aspect is shown by the fact, that each year tho agitation for compulsory grading grows stronger in tho Commonwealth. However, despite our utmost care, it seemed impossible to quito reach the top of the market. With exasperating persistency, tho Danes, who have been a dairying community for a vory long period, and who have laid themselves out most thoroughly to cater for the London market, have always kept a few shillings per cwt. abovo tho highest New Zealand price. They have a big advantage in being so close to tho market, and in thus being able to arrange for more regular supplies, and also in the important factor of having been first in control of the market. Sometimes they have been 4s per cwt abovo tho price of best N.Z., sometimes 9s or 10s higher. However, at last their colors have been lowered, and we are now informed that the Tongariro shipment of N.Z. butter has realised 180 s per cwt. This reads like a record price for imported butter in England, and iu any case it is several shillings above the highest Danish butter. There is probably a certain amount of luck in the present situation. Tho big N.Z. shipment has evidently arrived on a hare markot, and iu consequence abnormal values have been obtained. At the same time, the actual fact -recorded will prove of the utmost importance to tho N.Z. butter industry, as it marks the first serious challenge that 6as ever been given to Denmark’s supremacy in the London butter -market. Our producers have to concede si good deal to their competitors in Canada, the United States, tho Argentine, and also to Australia, in getting their produce to market, hut we have the assistance of a glorious climate, and so long as wo keep to the highest standard of quulity there will always bo in London a payablo price for onr products. It is in tho ,owor grades and mixed qualities that competition is to be feared, it is a long time since N.Z. produce received such an excellent advertisement ns will result- from tho very satisfactory sale to which wo have referred.