BUTTER.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 March 1924, Page 4

BUTTER.

FALSE TESTS ALLEGED. CHARGE AGAINST CREAM SUPPLIERS. [nY TF.T.F.ORAIMI —I’lilt I'HKSH ASSOCIATION.] FEILDING, , March 4. Charges of an unusual nature were heard at the Court to-day, when Henry Simpson, cream collector for the Cheltenham Co-operative Dairy Company war, charged with conspiring with sup- ) hers to defraud tho company by falsifying cream tests. The suppliers joined in the charge were Otto Krccglier, charged in respect ot £33(1, J Thomason (£B9), It. Gavignn (£11), A. M Taylor (£474). and Wright. In all i lie cases except 'Wright's the accused admitted having supplied false tests, and Simpson admitted taking those. Th c .suppliers had arranged with the <■ -mpany to make restitution. Wright’s rase was not reached when the Com t adjourned. The other accused pleaded not guilty to criminal charges and were committed lor trial.

THE I-’ALL IN BUTTER. Seen by a “Dominion” reporter < ' Saturday, a New Zealand agent for one (l! tfi o leading London dairy produce fit in,-, expressed hi.s opinion as to the cause for the drop in butter prices. ‘ft i s only the natural result,” le declared, “of the haphazard manner in which -Now Zealand dairy produce is tumbled oil to the London market. I’lie arrivals of New Zealand butfel in Loudon dinii.lg February totalled .101 000 boxes, approximately 10,000 tom. On top of this 204,000 crates of cheese, eqvaljing 1»,0»K) tons, were dumped on the London market from this country. Thus about a quarter Of the New Zealand output of dairy pioduce for the whole year, aimed on tV London market during last month. This hig consignment arrived on board ton .Steamers, as against two steamers winch readied Homo with dairy product in January. This surely shows ,lg. need of regulating matters in order i.) supply the ‘London market more evenly. The strike of London dock workers coming at the same time put the finishing touches to the congestion. as none ol the ten tteaineis containing New Zealand butter and

cheese could be unloaded." He also declared that the present practice of steamers travelling from port to port round the New Zealand coast, picking up small consignments of dairy produce, was not only costly. .|,u, caused undue delay. Supplies of di'irv produce, he asserted, should be centralised at three main ports, and ll this were done shipments could be made regularly. This would avoid such a swamping of the London market as hail occurred last month. Regulation of supplies would have to come it .similar serious losses to the produceis were to be avoided in future.