H—29

Proprietors of cool stores are generally co-operative and helpful, but because of the Ministry's policy of wide dispersal of shipments—small lots to small stores—it is difficult to see as much cheese as we would wish. Quality of Butter. —So far the quality of this season's make has been very satisfactory and is second to none coming to, or made in, this country. Last week I was privileged to inspect Australian butter from Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania. Although some of it was very good-flavoured butter, Ido not think it is as uniform or fresh in flavour as ours. We must continue, however, to strive to improve our quality. If, therefore, we can impart a little more lactic flavour to the butter without endangering its keeping-quality, the result would be a distinct advantage. Quality of Cheese.—From Otago and Southland districts ex the s.s. "Port Chalmers " I recently inspected the best and most uniform line of cheese I have seen in this country. They were close boring with firm, waxy bodies and on the whole were very-good-flavoured cheese. However, though in the majority of cases the cheese when ironed conforms in quality to that indicated by the grade stamp, there still appear to be few brands that can retain for more than very short intervals a Finest classification. Unfortunately, a large number of cheese when ironed show web-like fractures in texture which are defined by paler seamy patterns across the plug. In the shops I have seen these fractures or seams open up and the colour-blemish greatly magnified. I should say this is one of the principal defects in our cheese, and generally it seems to be more pronounced this dairying season. A few consignments of previously-stored old cheese, some of which had developed strong sulphide and other foreign flavour, were, in the main, used for processing. Market Milk This report covers the second year of the introduction of the Dairy Division into the market milk industry, during which there has been a marked improvement in the control and treatment of market milk. Organization.—Dairy Instructors continue to act as local field men for the treatinghouses, the Market Milk Instructor at Palmerston North has regularly visited treatinghouses throughout the Dominion, and the Superintendent has visited areas which warranted the attendance of a Head Office official. The system continues to work satisfactorily and, because of the improvement in conditions at treating-houses, the Market Milk Instructor has lately been able to make more frequent special visits to difficult areas. Other Authorities. —Special efforts have been made this year to maintain both a close liaison and a cordial relationship with the other authorities in the market-milk industry. On the production side every effort has been made to encourage the treating-houses and the producer co-operatives to use to great advantage the services of the Live-stock Inspectors. On the retail side efforts have been aimed at co-operating with the Health Inspectors of the local bodies and of the Department of Health, and good results and cordial relationships have been the outcome. Dairy Instructors and Head Office officials have acted in close liaison with the milk authorities and the Milk Committees of the Borough Councils. Where Dairy Instructors are appointees to milk authorities they have generally watched the Division's interests. Developments.—The major development during the year was the opening of a new milk-treatment station in Dunedin which superseded the old depot in King Street where market milk had been treated for nearly fifty years. The new station is equipped to handle up to 5,000 gallons of milk a day by con-siderably-improved methods and there has been a substantial improvement in the supply of treated milk in the district. The station at present can handle only half the total consumption for Dunedin. Aluminium capping and the use of the 38 mm. milkbottle were introduced to the Dominion (at Palmerston North) in March this year. Despite preliminary troubles, mainly because of slight faults in the design of the milkbottles, the introduction has filled a long-felt need for a more sanitary type of bottlecap. The Dairy Division has been largely instrumental in introducing this cap to the Dominion and considerable time has been spent during the year in making its introduction satisfactory.

36