THE EXPORT OF BUTTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1516, 23 October 1883, Page 2

THE EXPORT OF BUTTER.

(Prom the Wairarapa Standard.)

Sir,—Observing in a recent issue,; some remarks with reference to the formation of a Farmers' Club in Featherston, and noticing that you take an interest in our proceeding, I forward you a condensed report of the information gained by the deputation (which the Club sent to Wellington) re the butter market.

The deputation first waited upon Captain Rose, the Wellington agent for the New Zealand Shipping Compady, for tho, purpose of ascertaining the freight on butter shipped from Wellington to London in a cool room. His reply was that the Company had decided not to provide accommodation fora;smaller parcel of dairy produce than; 100 tons, and that the freight would be If d per lb j but subsequently, through the representations of the energetic Chairman of the Wellington Meat Export Company, (Mr Buchanan) the New Zealand Shipping. Company modified these terms for the shipment by the Doric, and took some |0 or 50 tons of butter at Id per lb freight, but the Company still adhere to their ordinary scale of charges for the next, steamer, thatis lfd per lb freight, and will not take less than 100 tons ;jbut it is immaterial whether it is butter, cheese, or whatever else may require to be kept cool. The deputation then waited upon several of the merchants, who havo been! dealing largely in butter, and have exported a considerable quantity to various markets. They informed ■the deputation that they did not purpose exporting more butter again because, as butter is now made in New Zealand, the proportion ef good butter to bad is so small that to persist in sending it away means nothing short of ruin to the sender. The deputation further ascertained that hitherto, it has made no difference in what form the butter has been sent away; whether in keg 3 or tins, both have been success* ful, and both have failed. The deputation have received Easting's Monthly Export Lists, showing the wholesale price of butter packed in jars, firkins and tins, It would appear that with the exception of the Irish butter, the whole or nearly so, of tho butter sent from a distanco to London, is packed in tins, holding from 281bs down to |lb. The small tins, say lib tins, fetching 4Jd a lb more than that packed in 281b tins, Good butter packed in lib tins would probably fetch in London Is 4d to Is 6d per lb,' and pod keg butter would probably fetch from 120 to 130 shillings per 112 lbs.

It would appear from the above in* formation that there is a market (and a good one) in London for our produce, but to reap mueli benefit tlf» settlers in the Wairarapa must mar™' up their minds for a complete revolu-' tion in the manufacturing of those articles, viz,: butter and cheese. In the first place it is evidont that although the articles hitherto manu-. faotured have in a measure suited, tho local market, yet the experience of shippers prove that it will nob suit the" London or other foreign markets, Nov to achieve this resolution, there must be some unanimity amongst farmers, and I may say that in order to accomplish this object the Featherston Farmers' Club are desirous that the various townships in this valley should at once form similar clubs, and discuss the question themselves, and communicate from time to timo with kindred institutions. I am, &c,, Murray J. 11. Jackson, Sec. Feathers ton Farmers' Club,