PRESERVATIVE IN BUTTER

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 183, 31 March 1914, Page 4

PRESERVATIVE IN BUTTER

How it Gets There.

Put in Milk and Cream.

Factories not Responsible.

Effect on American Trade.

A large acd representative meeting of present and prospective suppliers of the New Zealand Dairy Association Limited, was held near to Waiuku on Thursday morning last, when consideration was given to certain propositions for the advancement ot the business in the neighbourhood. Mr Dale occupied the chair. Mr H. £. Pacey, the general manager of the Dairy Association, and Messrs Moti n end barriball, directors, were preeeat and addressed the meeting.

In the course of his address Mr Pacey referred to the disastrous influence which the recent strike had had upon the London butter market, which finally caused a considerable reduction in selling values. He also reviewed at some length the development of the butter trade with the United States and the difficulties which had been encountered during the first season's business. Mr Pacey said that from all over New Zealand had come complaints from factories who had experienced difficulty in complying with the Pure Food Law of the United State?, which requires that butter shipped to that country shall be free from preservatives otner than common salt. The speaker explained that this requirement had been understood by the dairy factories, who had taken care to definitely exclude preservatives in the course of manufacture of the butter at the factories Notwithstanding this care, however, some companies bad been in serious trouble owing to preservatives being found in the butter at the othei end, which resulted in it being excluded fiom the United States. Mr Pacev said that the butter experts had given careful consideration to the difficulty and had come to the conclusion that preservatives are sometimes added by suppliers of milk and cream and that this had contributed to the trouble.

One of the suppliers who was present said that he had, in a commercial capacity, had occasion to visit many farms, and could testify to the fact that, in some districts, preservative was added by milk suppliers. Mr Pacey said that this was a particularly foolish and hurtful practice, contrary to all regulations, and should be discontinued by butterfat producers, otherwise the trade with the United States would te very seriously menaced. Many companies in New Zealand had already been put to serious inconvenience and loss on this account. Mr Pacey added that his own company had been more fortunate than many. Several thousand boxes had been duly examined by the authorities administering the Pure Food Law in America. Hh company, however, had had one little lot of 100 odd boxes excluded owing to the alleged presence of berates. In England, Canada, Australia, Ai'ricp, New /.ealand and many other countries half per cent, of preservative In butter was permissible, and it was recognised by standard authorities tbat such small proportion was not in any sense hurtful. The United States, however, required that preservative should be omitted, and if New Zealand was to cater for the United States trade, its requirements must be observed by the New Zealand producers. The meeting terminated with an enthusiastic vote of thanks to Mr Pacey. to the visiting directors and to the chairman.