Cream Delivery. 445 



purchaser does not lose, as the balance, after allowing for wear and 

 tear and profit, is funded and divided pro rata amongst the suppliers. 



This is an injustice to the careful supplier, who takes a pride in 

 supplying his cream in a good condition, it is also opposed to the best 

 interests of the industry, as there is no incentive given suppliers to 

 •deliver their cream frequently, and in a good sound condition, without 

 which it is impossible to maintain a firm grasp of the London trade. 



In some factories grading is attempted, and the results are fairly 

 satisfactory, the first grade, however, is usually not up to that of best 

 milk supply factories. When managers are asked why they do not 

 •endeavour to fix a higher standard, the answer is that the quantity of 

 really first class cream is so small, that the bulk of their butter, 

 according to their own grading, would be of second or lower grades, 

 so that cream which is truly of second quality is passed in with the 

 few firsts, and all packed under their best brand. It will be seen by 

 this system that instead of bringing the lower quality up to the 

 standard of the first, it has the opposite effect, and lowers the first 

 towards the level of the second quality. Hence the efforts of the 

 ■clean and careful dairyman go for nothing, and he naturally begins to 

 wonder why he brings his cream three or four times a week to the 

 factory, and is so exacting about the cleanliness of his utensils, the 

 cooling of his cream, and other little precautions that are necessary to 

 -enable him to preserve the natural flavour of his cream, when he sees 

 his neighbour, who takes none of the above precautious, and probably 

 does not bother to deliver his cream more than once or twice a week, 

 receiving the same price. This is not the kind of feeling that should 

 be encouraged, far better create and foster a spirit of emulation, 

 wherein every dairyman would be endeavouring to outstrip his 

 neighbour in the quality of cream supplied to the factory. 



Under present arrangements such a state of perfection will not be 

 brought about. Butter factory directors and proprietors will have to 

 use a little coercion, and by a rigid system of classification and 

 payment of differential rates, enforce a more frequent delivery of 

 cream. Herein lies the crux of the whole question. If cream from 

 private separators were delivered at the factories at frequent intervals, 

 such as the season of the year demanded, a vast improvement would 

 be made in the quality of the butter produced, inferior and con- 

 taminated cream would not be so frequently met with. Fresh cream is 

 amenable to treatment, while age intensifies any existing evils. 



Every pound of inferior butter made in the State is a reflection on 

 the intelligence of the producer, as all cream in its initial stage is in a 

 state, under proper treatment, to make a first quality butter, deteriora- 

 tion and consequent depreciation is the penalty of negligence. 



The first step to cope with the difficulty under the present system 

 of cream delivery should be a united effort on the part of butter 

 factory owners, to bring about a better system. This may be done 

 by the factories sending out their own waggons, or by regulation, 

 such as in force in the Western District factories, with regard to milk 



