The Dairy Industy.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 28, 3 February 1904, Page 4

The Dairy Industy.

VISIT OF AN .ENGLISH RF.TVTLr Klt. Oil Tuesday morning a Daily News repre.seuitative had u chut at the Moturou l-Yee/nig Works and liovernment gracing station with Mr John Hug-lies, proprietor of one of the largest retail piovision estoblishini'iHs ill Liverpool. Mr Hug-hes is travelling for tin- lwnelit of his health, but is combining business w-il'li pleasure. He recently paid a visit to the grading stores at Melbourne. Yesteivtay, 011 the invitation of Mr • lolmstoii, (Jovemnicnt Produce (Iruder a;. New I ;be was present at the Moturoa works during, the testing operations, and look a keen interest in the He showed himself to be 110 amateur in the classing of butter, Uiough he hiuighiwgly remarked that lie had to learn everything from the progressive people of this advanced colony. Tho visitor spoke highly of the aroma, texture anii flavour of several boxes of the Moa Dairy Company's output, and then went 011 to test tho butter sent in by Midhirst, Kaponga and Tarata. In ull of these 110 found mueli to commend, and referred more particularly to the uniform quality of tho various -days' luanufactuiv.

" I suppose you have a good deal of New Zealand butter passingf through your hands, Jir Hughes, hesides the Danish '?'' queried the reporter. ■'■ Yes, u great deal. All of these brawls are familiar to me. 1 have lii'ty branch retail shops, and in all o'f these New Zealand butter is sold." "And how does this butter, now awaiting shipment, compare with that of the Danish dairymen ?'' was the next question.

"In my opinion, this is quite equal to the best Danish. You must remember, though, that we do not get your butter in this condition. It litis not tile same sweet aroma after two or three months' storage. Danish, on the other hand, is only about ten days oid when it roaches the consumer, which is a great consideration 1 ."

Mi- Il'iift'lves further stated that there was now no prejudice against butter' taken from the refrigerators ; this had disappeared lung ago. Coining into clnily contact with the consumer, Mr Hughes was able to speak with authority on the likes unci dislikes of tlie great British public. For the past twenty-live years he litis been engaged in this business, ain,-;l for the past twelve years has 'dealt largely in the dairy produce of all the colonies. 11,; states that colour and flavour are all-important in the Home markets ; if the butter is streaky or speckled it is considered wry faulty. "Do you get much of that from New Zealand ?" asked the reporter. "No," said Air Hughes. "New Zealand butter is always uniform, and must gain favour with the public. You should impress on your factory uianugers and makers generally that the thrifty housewife who purchases a pound or two of butter is just as good a judge, as far as her requirements'go as tiro'wholesale dealer. The) tastes of tine people, .differ considerably in various districts, some liking plenty of salt, whilst others purchase those brands containing the smallest percentage of this commodity. Then again, some like white butler, and others must have it coloured."

Mr Hughes was much struck with the impressed brand on the top of each package of butler, but rather deprecated the use of the term "dairy •• on the Moa Company's expore. He says this may t . llsi j v , J( , coiilounded wit;,, private concerns, iS ,"" n ' ly ° f """ hi * and imiioim <||ii.ilit..v attained by the larger co-operative establishments • Factory." too. he said was cap able ~f misconstruction, as tin, word rather siigniliod works for " milling-- „r making U p butter for Sill "V '" Creniineiy " was the term: most palatable to the peojile at

lalking oi IV grading stations, Air Hughes s ;l id he had not seen a b-tter lighted or better ventilated, '■»'»» Hwin at Motuioa, and he also commented „n the scrupulous cleanliness everywhere apparent, The dairy jndustry i„ this colony had a good deal to be thankful'for h< that the Oovernnient |>rovided such excellent port supervision, and' also employed experts to give farmers instruction on Iho treatment ol milk, " for," remarked the visitor, " about 7.1 per cent, of the cases of ' hshinuws ' can be traced directly to Hie farmer who does not take' enough care of his milk." j| r Hughes thought that much could lie done by systematic advertising ■J the colony'sMairy produce, but above all things uniformity i„ t |, ( , ninnufacbure must be maintained. Mr Hughes intends insecting some of the 'l'aranaki I'actoriub and leaves for Inglewood this morning. Jt is quite possible, us a result of his visit, that he will make arrangements for purchasing direct from the factory, the butler to be consigned to his own private tool stores in Liverpool, from w'iich he trades with many inland towns in the north of Kn'gland.