Dear Sir,

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 155, 3 May 1940, Page 4

Dear Sir,

Letters to the Editor must be clearly written on one side of the paper only. Where a nom-de-plume is used the name of the writer must be enclosed for reference purposes only. WHITHER NEW ZEALAND ? Sir, —I am glad that you published in full the report of Mr Hale, the Dairy Board Chairman, and especially his remarks concerning the inroads being made by margarine on New Zealand's butter market in Britain. It lias been recognised that some damage would be caused to New Zealand's primary industry by the margarine problem but I, for one, never realised what a truly serious position obtains. The majority of their shoulders and say that " things are to be expected during the war but that they will right: t]"iehiselves after hostilities have stopped and then New Zealand will be able to pick up on her butter export. But apparently the task will be very difficult when a people used to the consumption of the substitute are asked to eat butter again. Some people in this country are arguing that it is not fair; that those in Britain shoulcl cat Empire butter. But in all reason, why should they? According to the letters which Mr Hale read at the fcvartl conference of the Dairy Board., the margarine at present being solct in? Eingland has the same vitamin content as butter. Costing about 8d per ib. it naturally is sold more readily than butter. This country will have to wake up to the possibility of losing a big trade and something should be done about it. It is not only in the dairying business that New Zealand will have to* be prepared for losses. The use of staple fibre as a substitute for wool is growing to such an extent that it is feared it will threaten serious consequences for New Zealand after the war. The International Wool Secretariat recently provided the trade with most disturbing figures. For instance, the total world production of staple fibre in 1939 equalled the total scoured wool production for the whole of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Uruguay, The 1939 United King dom production and the United States consumption of staple fibre both doubled last year and it is certain that the war has increased thp use many times over. Altogether New Zealand's position may not be too secure when hostilities cease and it is to be hoped that the Government is alive to the possibilities. Yours etc.> A.L.G. Whakatane, May Ist.