ABOUT OUR BUTTER.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 2, Issue 116, 5 August 1913, Page 2

ABOUT OUR BUTTER.

The London Complaints. Prices Forced by Specu« lators. Auckland Product Good. Regarding the complaints from London of the fall in price and quality of Australasian butter, *a Waikato "Times" representative waited on Mr William Gondfellow, chairman of the Waikato Co-rpera-tive Dairy Co , at Hamilton, and was given somo reasons for the London complaints, Mr Gucdfey<yvexplained that the fall in price was due to three cause?, which he gavo aa follows 1. The action of speculators, who wer3 unable to pur:hose requirements in New Zealand at the commencement of the season, and who therefore forc:d dowD prices and bought in. Thia accounted for the tremendous diligence in price between New Zealand and Danish butter. 2. -Competition of margarine: This product is r.ow coming into competition with our best butter. In fact, a large quantity of New Zealand butter is now used in the manufacture of margarine.

3. The excellent season thiujghout Europe, and consequently a larger production cf high-class etuff. "The quality of New Zealand butter," said Mr Gondfellow, "has had nothing to do with the fall in prices." Such pii argument, he remarked, waa only an excuse put forward by speculators, and it waa high tiim the Government took action and finally put a stop to thil pambhog with our produce. Contrusting the Danish with the New Zealand sjstem of selling, Mr Goodfellow said that urder the Danish system the producer obtained a fair valua every time. He added that, when in conversation with Mr Cudrii?, Chief of the New Zealand Dairy Division, a short tima ago, the latter had said that Mr Wright, ihe Loudon representative of the Department, had stated that there were no complaints worth mentiouing against Auckland butter, but that some of the best Taranaki concerns had received very serious complaints of fishiness. Mr Cuddie at that time declared that ha was satisfied the cause of this waa dirty milking machines. Mr Goodfellow remarked that the creamery concerns of New Zealand appeared to be anxious to blame home separation, but thi3 was very unjust. Ihe Waipu factory (a home separation concern) this year, for instance, exported the best butter of all the factories in the Auckland province, and won the Weddell Cup. "Ilia real trouble, however," said Mr Gcodtollow, "is that certain creamery concerns arc taking cream, and owing to lack of knowledge and Bpechl plant, are making a hash of both systems. It is surely, therefore, hardly fair to blame home separation on that account. The Government grade is the hall-mark of quality, and l'ar na our Auckland province is concerned, the average quality of butter exported has never been better."