N.Z. DAIRY PRODUCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 303, 18 December 1908, Page 4

N.Z. DAIRY PRODUCE.

CONDITION OF BI'TXER AND CHEESE ON ITS AKRIYAL AT HOME. Mr. D. Cuddie, Dairy Commission 'r, reporting upon his visit to the Old Country, says: "Almost immediately, after my arrival in Loudon 1 inspected a shipment of butter and cheese as it was being discharged from the s.s. Tongariro, at the Victoria Docks, Following up this work I was in attendance at the Royal Albert Docks when the s.s. lonic and other fortnightly steamers arrived, ill order to report on the condition of the cargoes as the work of discharging proceeded. lam pleased to say tliat the packages were handled with care and despatch by the New Zealand Shipping Company and the Sliaw, Savill and Albion Shipping Company, which carry produce with the National Dairy Association of New Zealand.

The butter is discharged from tlis vessels by means of elevators, wiiien deliver the boxes 011 to the wharves, whence they are immediately conveyed to the sorting shells. The crates' of cheese, being usually carried in the 'tween decks of the steamers, are removed in slings, or by means of chuta, and transferred to the sorting sheds in a similar manner to the butter. Whilst few of the cheese crates arrived in a broken condition, this cannot Iw said of the butter boxes. Quite a number of the latter were more or less knocked about, and in some cases parts of the package were missing, leaving the con tents exposed. After looking into the matter I found that most of the damage had occurred at the New Zealand end; therefore it will be necessary to exercise a closer supervision in regard to the handling of the produce when the steamers are being loaded in Wellington. Both the shipping companies employ a -.lumber of carpenters in London, atrJ provide a ipmntity of white pine to repair the boxes; but it is almost impossible to do the work satisfactorily uwtig to tlie_ butter being knocked out of shape in many instances. The parchment papt'r also becomes soiled and torn, giving rise to charges of carelessness on the fart of the packers. Of coulee, it must be remembered when teas of thousands of boxes are handier! the breaking of a few now and then is unavoidable. At the same time, tilie damage which came under my notice seemed to be greater than it" should have been if proper care had been taken in -towing the cargoes. Patched and broken packages depreciate the value of tile contents, and I consider it will. be necessary to arrange for closer oversight at the time of shipment, 'l'o show the <-rit out of the danuige in some of the shipments it may be mentioned that a large portion of the sorting-shed of the lioyal Albert Docks is partitioned of! for storing and repairing the broken boxes. This is called the 'hospital,' and it was surprising to find so large a quantity handled in this compartment.''