SWEDISH SPRUCE

Shannon News, 15 June 1926, Page 4

SWEDISH SPRUCE

USE OF BUTTER BOXES.

NOT FAVOURED IN LONDON,

It is important to dairy producers that their butter should be packed in containers that do not’ damage the butter; and it is important to New Zealand butter-box makers, and to the New Zealand timber industry that, the New Zealand box should be preferred to the foreign box; but it is also a matter of concern to the dairy producers th&t the price of butter.boxes should be in lin e , with their ideas. Over two years ago the Forest Ser. vice made, recommendations adverse to the use of Swedish spruce butterboxes, but their use has continued. A definite recommendation to discontinue the use of Swedish butterboxes is contained in a report to the New Zealand Dairy Produce Control Board by its London Agency, publish, ed in the “New Zealand Dairy Pro. duce Exporter”: . “From the experience we have had, stated the agency, also th e comments off Mr Walter Wright, and Mr Ross, the GoA'crnment graders, we think the industry would be well advised to discontinue the us e of Swedish butterboxes. We must remember that we are faced with keen competition from Australia and Canada, and it is only by upholding the reputation and quality of our butter that we can expect to continue, to hold the position for the manufacture of butter.

" “Our competitors are using every method in the form of grading, pack, ing, etc., to put their commodity on the market in the most attractive .manner, and if we do anything that is going to impair our quality, then we will, be at a disadvantag'd, and might very easily los e what has taken years to achieve. Especially in the face of the board’s policy of allocating allot, ments, and spreading our shipments over a longer period, it is essential that our containers should not in any way contaminate the butter.”