lOTH June, 191 2.] Review of Dairying Season. 377 



bargained for unsalted. and vice versa. It will therefore be seen that 

 some better method of distinguishing salted butter from unsalted will have 

 to be adopted. The word unsalted indelibly impressed on each end of the 

 boxes is the least effective method that might be employed. A better plan 

 would be to have a separate brand covering the unsalted butter; 57.52 per 

 Cent, of the buttej exported from the State to oversea destinations was salted, 

 whilst 42.48 per cent, of the butter was unsalted. 



Mould in Butter. 



Mould was discovered on some butters upon opening for examination. 

 Certain consignments were so bad that every box had to be re-papered and 

 packed after scraping about \ inch off the surface through which the 

 mould had penetrated, and making good the consequent shortage in weight. 

 In no case did the managers fail to overcome the trouble upon their attention 

 being drawn to it, and instructions given as to the proper care of butter 

 paper. The proprietor of a certain factory was greatly concerned about 

 the mould reported on consignments from his factory. One day an officer 

 ot the Department, when speaking to him, saw the paper over the office 

 ■stool fronting a desk for the buttermaker's use. Presently the butter-maker, 

 whose garments were not too clean, came and sat on the paper to make an 

 ■entry at the desk. A few minutes afterwards the same paper was utilized 

 for lining the butter boxes, and although this action may not have been 

 (Urectly responsible for the contamination of the butter paper, yet it clearly 

 showed that the user did not appreciate the necessity for keeping it away 

 from dust pending its being brought into requisition. 



Butter Fat. 



Only one consignment, representing nine boxes, was re-worked under 

 supervision to comply with the standard before shipm_ent. In the previous 

 season there were 45 contraventions, representing 1,697 boxes. 



Short Weight. 



Fifty-six consignments, representing 1.9 15 boxes, were intercejoted from 

 shipment on account of short weight. By checking these packages, 1,479 

 were passed as correct and released, the remaining 436 having had their 

 contents amended under supervision before export. In the previous year, 

 62 consignments, representing 3,276 boxes, were intercepted from shipment, 

 out of which 947 were found short weight. It will be seen, therefore, 

 that less than half the contraventions under this heading were encountered 

 during the present season. Under the new regulations it is necessaiv to 

 brand any butter weighing less than 56 J lbs. at time of checking with the 

 words '' Bare ^Veight." Thirty-nine consignments, representing 1,649 

 boxes, were intercepted from shipment under this heading, 1,072 of which 

 were passed on checking and released. Of the remainder, 372 boxes had 

 their contents amended under supervision, and one consignment only of 

 205 boxes had the words ''Bare Weight" indelibly impressed on the outside 

 covering. The amended regulations under the Commerce Act have 

 undoubtedly brought about a better condition of affairs in regard to weights. 

 A margin is essential to insure the butter turning out satisfactorily at the 

 port of destination. This matter is furdier dealt with later on. 



