NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1922, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

ESTEEMED IN AUSTRALIA. A SHARP LESSON TO HOLDERS. Mr. R. Crowe, superintendent of exports for the State of Victoria, thinks highly of New Zealand butter and thereby pays a compliment to the Dominion grading. He deplores the fact that since the Commonwealth took over the details of dairy produce inspection and grading, in 1917, their officers have been more like policemen than instructors. Before 1917 the State officials were sent to factories -whose output of butter was not superfine, to educate the defaulting manager up to the best standards. In 1906 over 90 per cent, of the exporting firms were voluntarily submitting their butter to grading and grade-stamping. From 1906 to 1917 the State officers carried out the work of inspection, the cost being recouped by the Commonwealth. Now, according to Mr. Crowe, the officers of the Commonwealth are at variance with those of the State and the factory managers. Too much dependence on Government guidance is not healthy; but, on the other hand, the effect that inferior butter has upon the price o>f the superfine article must not be overlooked. Mr. Crowe pointed out to the factory managers that in the disposal of all products an inferior article not only brings a low price but also discounts the price realised for the best offering. Thus though the best Australian butter is quite equal in quality to the befct New Zealand, it does not bring such high prices as the latter, for the reason that there is a larger proportion of inferior quality butter shipped from Australia than from New Zealand. It is therefore in the interests of all parties that the levelling-up process should not be delayed. * QUEENSLAND PLANS MISCARRY. When Victoria this season first found it necessary to import butter from Queensland, Brisbane butter poolers quickly rode the high horse and dictated prices (remarks a Melbourne journal). They thought that Melbourne buyers would be solely dependent upon that State for supplies, and considered that an opportunity had arrived to “bleed” the south as much as possible. The pool apparently was oblivious of the fact that butter could be purchased from New Zealand. When they learned that Victoria and New South Wales had purchased fairly substantial parcels of butter from the Dominion, Brisbane sellers realised their mistake, and accordingly "climbed down.” A large quantity of butter had been sent to Melbourne from Queensland on consignment, and while that was on hand South Australia also entered the field as a competitor on a small scale. ' Queensland preferred to ship as much : butter as possible to the south rather than to export it to London for a lower monetary return. The matter of price to interstate buyers was in the hands of the pool committee. Unfortunately, the committee lacked foresight, for its stand in regard to consumers in the other States quickly brought retribution. Then the Queensland butter factory managers took the matter in hand, with the result that the committee has cancelled its instructions in regard to prices for interstate trade, thus giving the factories a free hand in that re- J spect. Advices from Brisbane ctqfe that the heavy showers last week .v ere almost confined to the coastal nreas Queensland- The inland dairying districts need rain, but in spite of the dryness supplies of butter are keeping up well. There is a considerable surplus of butter, which agents are waiting patiently to sell to the south. Purchasers in .Sydney and Melbourne are not on the market. ATTEMPTS AT STABILISATION. Following the conference of butter and cheese manufacturers of Victoria, held in Melbourne on April 26, relating to the stability of the dairying industry in Australia, a circular was issued

to the factories setting out the resolutions passed at the conference. The factories were to support the proposals, and to notify the Commonwealth dairy produce pool committee not later than May 26 of their decisions. It is stated that more than 30 replies have come to hand. In most instances it has been decided by the factories that have replied to support the scheme, but the approval is subject to many conditions. Generally, little hope is held by factory representatives in Melbourne of the scheme becoming established, for, apart from the replies in hand, several factories, it is stated, have point-blank refused to have anything to do with the movement.