TARANAKI'S STAPLE INDUSTRY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81884, 9 November 1906, Page 2

TARANAKI'S STAPLE INDUSTRY

SOME INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS. Nothing' is so important to Taianaki as daiiying. Dairying is the one great industry that flourishes, and by its advancement and success makes other industries and commercial undertakings possible. That being so, it is of the utmost importance ihat butter and cheese manufacture should Ir brought right up io date and in lin? with the ictjuiremenis of the British pub ic, our principal customers and consumers. from lime to time English firms report upon our produce, and its suitability for the Home market, its gcod points and its defects, as compared w'tli the best English and Danish articles.

The other day. however, an oppor- | tunity presented itself of obtaining this information by word of mouth from one who is able to speak with authority and confidence born of practical experience concerning the NewZealand produce on the English markets. This gentleman is Mr J.R. Cruickshank, representing Messrs Collett and Co. When he arrived in the colony a few months ago he was cute enough to b'de his tme, and waited awhi e before giv'ng away impressions. Since then he has been to Australia, visited several of our factories, and, as a practical maker, soon got into touch with our methods and conditions. A Daily News reporter thought the time opportune to have a ■ chat with him, and called on Wednes day at his office.

"Last cloor on the right hand side, bottom of the passage," was the direction, and there we found him hard at work. Me readily consented to be questioned and promised to give any information in his power, remarking, however, that ho did not intend to say too much, for hp found there were plenty of people here quite ready to misconstrue word or deed. "Look hue, 'he said. "When I first came here, Mr Webster, secretary of the Agricultural society, came to see me. He toid me of the show that was coning on, and asked if our firm would give a prize for separator butter. 1 asked "How wi.l five pounds do?" lit* told me that would do capitally, and I gave it. Would you believe that a number of people are complaining that we are trying to run the separator butter against the factories? Well, that's what they are saying. Of course, if we had been asked for a pjlze for the factory butter w»'d have given it, but I merely gave as I was asked. Next year I don't mind givng to both." This ied to the topic of shows general y, and Mr Cruickshank explained the method of conducting the Irish butler competitions, which are run on I lies somewhat similar to our own. The competitors have no knowledge of what butter is to be judged until they receive a telegram from the competition authorities. A box of that day's make is put aboard the first train for Dublin, and judged, the scores being afterwards fully explained to the different makers, the defects pointed out, and the manner of correcting the mistakes,

The Taranaki Agricultural Society's method is to fix a date, and collect from the cool store at Motur&a a box of that day's make, a different date being- taken for each class or competition. This is clamed to be ihe fairest test in the colony, as .he exhibitors have no chance of preparingl a special box for show purposes, they having no idea of what b»x will b- judged. The plan of pointing out the faults and the best method of improvement is an idea well worth attention.

"What do the English buyers think of the New Zealand grading system?" asked the reporter. "The system may be reckoned as nearly perfect, and as near perfect as it is possible to get, Yes; the home buyers depend largely on the grading points, and always consider the figures reliable," Mr Cmickshank *aid he could fully realise ihat the graders' task was one of great responsibility, and the work was very carefully done. One point, that might appear a very trivial one at this end, needed attention. The grading stamps for first, second, or third grade produce were all alike in shape and colour, with

Iho exception of tho figures 1, 2, or 3, which, by tile way, were very small figures and hard to distinguish in the dark, cool stores. There was never too much light in such a place, and he considered it would save a great deal of time and inconvenience if different stamps were used to designate the various grades. The present stamp is of an oval shape. That might be retained for first grade produce, but a diamond shape, or a square or triangular mark used in the other grades, Mr Cruicksliank is a firm believer in pasteurisation, and considers it should be made compulsory, especially with the big- factories. By bring ng the milk to a temperature of 80 degrees centigrade the germs were effectively destroyed, and impurities lost their damaging power. Butter made from unpastcunsed milk, though in perfect ortlqr when shipped, might have seriously deteriorated before reaching the Home market as a result of the action of organisms which might have been destroyed by pasteurisation. Distance from the

consumer, in his opinion makes pasteurisation imperative . By this means, too, uniformity of quality and flavour can be obtained, there beingno deleterions ingredients left in the cream to militate against the action of the starters, winch thus have a clear field, working under the best of cond.tions.

Ilie ''faking" of butter came up, ds a matter of course. Our informant asked us to make it quite ck'ar that "faking" and blending were not one and the same thing, though many CO onials confuse the two. Blending butler Is a perfectly legitimate practice, being the same process as is known as "m'lling" in this colony, "!• aking ' was a totally different affair, which meant imparting other substances into the butter to swe'J the quantity. By this means a mix-

lure could be sold as pure butter, the "lakers" pocketing the extra profits made by swelling the bulk. In view of the great importance to tho English consumer and the New Zealand producer, faking should be abolished, and that by legislation. The public and the producer would gain in a vetv iarge degree by the passing 0 f tli'o Bnt.sh Butter Bill, under the able guidance of Sir Edward Strachey, it was hardly necessary for him, he thought, to contradict the false impression which were held in some quaitet's that laking was a necessity to the English trade, but, he said, the sooner that notion was dispelled the better.

Mr Cruickshank concluded with a warm appreciation of the methods of the makers in this colony, and stated that he intended to bring before the notice of makers the matter of catering for the demand for tho'-smaller cheeses, such as the famous C,ter phiilv cherse Whilst in Australia he made - , m ,. of these at Brisbane, and managed to interest some of the makeis, But of this, more anon.