N.Z. BUTTER IN ENGLAND.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 284, 15 June 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

N.Z. BUTTER IN ENGLAND.

An ex tin: t fioin the ' 'Proceeding* the Institute of Certificated Grocery commenting on fact tliat buttei from Denmark hr.s continuously comi,landed a iiip,lior price than that obtained for New Zealand butter, !kis been foi warded to the " I'ress by ail intcivstrd correspondent. 1 lie writer says: " There may be, ot course, a reason for this, that we are nut aware of, hut, judging the position from the consumer'.; standpoint as well as from that of til.- expert, there can lie no douot that Nt >v Zealand does ship to Ureit Britain butter in every respect equal to tlie best Danish product, it is to be recognised that what suits one palite will not suit another, and wli.it finds favour in the South may not be liked in the North, but these variations are matters of detail, well under, stood by the expert dairyman, which have only to be pointed out to our kn in New Zealand to be easily prov (Id for. This leads us to the observations that the foreign producers have through their various commissioners made a their busino'-s to find out exactly what is required by the different markets (as, for example, that Bradford prefers a very lnii' li paler butter than does London), and they have endeavoured to produce their goods accord ngly. This, then, ;s the first requisite—to cater for the likes and prejudices of the different classes of consumers." There is evidently something wrong somewhere, and it may be due. in part at least, to the laet stated by the writer, viz., that while foreigners push the butter trade in England in "a thoroughly intelligent, persistent and bu-iness-like way, the colonies, with possibly one exception, South Australia, have lamentably fa le 1 in tills matter. He proceeds: "At grocers' ex. h;b:t:rns all over the Kingdom in the past there have been excellent displays of colonial produce from South Austra. fa, and of produce from foreign connfrits. We have looked in vain for the sia"k* of fresh, sweet butter and other products of farm and field from New Zealand, which should have been there, which could have been there, at r dieulonsly small expense, had New Zealand only b.en alive to the situation. This is but a sample of the opportunities which i.ave been missed." This is both sui prising and disappointing, because we were under the impression that Sir Thos. Mackenzie was giving particular attention to this important matter. Til 3 correspondent who is responsible for these cr.tieisms, seems to th.nk otherwise, for he urges that our H g'l Comn i-sioner, who has b?cn " verv busy settling the Dardanelles question, ' Mould be doing "more useful work if he u-ed his energies in establishing a firm market (free from speculators) for New Zealand butter, cheese, and meat." AA h le, with tho "I'ress.' we recognise that it is only fair to bear in mind tl,at the Higli Commissioner's time <is very much occupied with war activities of varous kinds, and that our produce is not being marketed under normal conditions, we thoroughly agree that the work of educating tlis British pubhe in regard to the excellence of New Zealand produce, ought to be carried on more- energetically than ever.