BUTTER AND CHEESE

Hokitika Guardian, 23 May 1929, Page 5

BUTTER AND CHEESE

ADVICE TO PRODUCERS. “New Zealand butter in quality is equal to the- best in the world. The demand for. it in England is still growing.” This is the view of Mr C. J, Pollard, one.of.the principals of Samuel Page and Sou., of,London.’ His firm is one of the oldest dairy importing-busi-nesses in England, and Mr Pollard has made a lifelong study oif the butter market, during which time he has served as chairman of various importing associations. He arrived at Auckland by the Niagara. “I come with a Londoner’s desire for a knowledge of tho producing conditions in the Dominion,” Mr Pollard said. “I have a great belief in New Zealand as a producing country, and I want to sec how wo in London can best co-operate with the producers te enlarge the market for New Zealand dairy produce, New Zealand butter occupies an unassailable position on the London market. In the south of England it has a-stronger hold than Danish and other Continental butter. It .is in the north that the Danish stronghold exists. The northern ports, of course, are handy to Denmark and other Baltic States, where dairying is the principal occupation of the people. This creates a natural demand for cask butter, which arrives in England only 24 hours after it is made. Nevertheless, there is a genuine demand in the north of England for New Zealand butter, and that market, if the prejudice in favour of tho Danish cask butter can be broken down, is capable of exploitation with benefits to tlie New Zealand producer. London will always be the chief market, but efforts in the right direction should result in the establishment of a subsidiary market. Iho publicity work now being carried out by the Empire Marketing Board is helping to create a solid market for New Zealand dairy produce throughout Great Britain. Mr Pollard also said that the wide disparity which exists at times between the prices for New Zealand and Danish butter was not really due to difference in quality. It was more a question of relative supplies. When there were relatively small supplies of Danish butter it obtained a greater price, but that did not mean that the New Zealand butter was of inferior quality. Now Zealand prices sometimes topped Danish when tho supplies „f the latter,were heavy. “I am not alone in declaring that the packing rtf New Zealand butter is the best in tho world,” Mr Pollard said. Referring to Now Zealand cheese, Mr Bollard said it was generally recognised Unit it had its faults. Chief among I licm were a. certain looseness and a lack of the ehoddar flavour. II Now Zealand wanted to produce cheese of