REVISION NEEDED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 612, 17 August 1933, Page 6

REVISION NEEDED

.EXPORT METHODS UNSATISFACTORY PACKING OF ' BUTTER AND FROZEN MEAT TRIALS WITH CELLULOSE : The opinion that New Zealand butter is equally as good in quality "as Danish, but that the reason for lower prices is the unsatisfactpry methods of export, was expressed to a "Post" representative on Tuesday evening by Mr. W. H. Makin, saies manager of Flaxgrowers' Pulp and Cellulose Products (N.Z.), Ltd. During a recent visit to England, Mr. Makin said that he had demand- ' ed New Zealand butter and mutton i on every occasion, but had been dis- , appointed to find that the quality of both was far below that which could be obtained in the Dominion, indicat- : ing that the quality had deteriorated ; in transit between the two countries. ' On investigation he had discovered | that wood taint from resinous woods used for butter boxes permeated through the parchment wrapping, ■giving the butter a discoloured appearance on the outside. and making it rancid. Frozen meat was similarly affected in transit and in handling, both in j.New Zealand and in England. The type of covering used on carcases at j the present time he considered most i unsatisfactory as dirt and moisture eould penetrate to the carcase and in addition a good deal of partial thawing took place prior to the arrival of the shipment on the home market. In order to capture. at least an ' equal share of trade in overseas | markets with that of Denmark, Mr. •Makin considers that the question of export methods will have to be drastically revised. He produced reports of London agents which show that in the new Dominion industry of cellulose manufacture, these troubles can now be rectified. These reports stated that trial shipments of butter, both in pats and bulk, which were packed or wrapped in cellulose, arrived in England in excellent condition without discolouration or raneidity of any description. The reason for this, said Mr. Makin, was that cellulose is a wrapping which is absolutely waterproof and adheres so closely to the butter that air and moisture is excluded from the product, making in fact, a hermetieally sealed packet. The New Zealand Farmers' Union has recently discussed the export of frozen meat in special wrappers made of cellulose and a trial shipment will probably be forwarded to England at an early date. By acting as an insulator, cellulose wrapping is expected to eliminate premature thawing and land the meat in better condition than on previous occasions. Trade can be Increased "If butter was exported by the Dominion in one pound and "half pound pats, and I would go so far as saying in quarter-pound pats, New Zealand .vould do exceptionally well on the English market," continued Mr. Makin. He said that in parts of Eng- _ land butter was bought by the poorer classes by the ounce and he, felt as- , sured that if New Zealand butter : was available in small quantities, the total exjprts could be increased by several millions of pounds annually.