MAKING BEST BUTTER.

Shannon News, 3 April 1925, Page 4

MAKING BEST BUTTER.

NEW ZEALAND'S REPUTATION. MR. GROUNDS AT AUCKLAND. In addressing a conference of factory managers at Auckland, the other day, Mr. Grounds said a technical ao> vantage had been achieved by the application of enthusiasm and intelligence on the part of the Government graders, who had contributed to the very enviable reputation of New Zealand in all the markets supplied. The graders had been the central soul ot all the development work, and that was recognised in London. With reference to cream grading, the charter of the board did not include encouragement of quality, but it would not be in a sound position if it did not play a part in the improvement of quality. In view of the board's decision to establish a system of control, still greater responsibility would rest .on managers and grading staffs if the quality was to remain paramount. His experiences in England im. pressed him with the fact that if produce was made under decent conditions, and delivered and shipped in good order, the cold storage did not materially affect the quality of the produce for a very considerable time. Nevertheless, the storage in London gave possibilities for deterioration in i quality. He referred to some butter bought for speculation and not proj perly stored. It was imperative that produce should go into cold storage unless it was going to be distributed immediately. It was also necessary that butter should be shipped at the same temperature at which it was to be carried to England. The board was insisting on the proper temperatures, and was pointing out that weaknesses in handling were not all at the other end. . . Mr. Grounds mentioned the need tor a superfine or choicest grade of butter, but the level between superfine ana the first-grade had not been discussed. Payment would be based on the quality turned out. _ North European countries, particu. larlv Denmark, were behind the propaganda going on in England drawing attention to the use of boric acid. A large number of New Zealand factories iwere not using boric acid, but unfortunately London merchants wero of opinion that it was not a good thing to advertise non-preservation, since the implication was that everyone else was using perservative. The industry would; be faced with the possibility of doing entirely without boric acid. "At i the present time," concluded Mr. Grounds, "New Zealand and Danish butters share the field for best table :butter, and New Zealand and Canada for cheese. We must not rest on our oars, but must maintain the lead which we have established. There l is a sparing and systemised use of turnip feeding in Denmark, whero feeding has been developed to a fine art. There i? a need for scientific examination in New Zealand of the whole of the manufacture, and this circulates round the demand for a laboratory and an experimental dairy I factory."