PRICE OF BUTTER

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17109, 2 April 1921, Page 9

PRICE OF BUTTER

TO REMAIN AT 2/3 PER LB.

(TRESS ASSOUA.TIOX TELEGRAM.)

"WELLINGTON, April 1

In reference tu the Auckland telccram published to-day that grocers are char-'inp i's M pcr lb for butter, the Board of Trade has taken up Uhe matter as the 0 margin oi profit is far greater than was the oast- previously jt is stated that the Wellington .grocer „ re a iso notifying a similar increase flljs is also gone into nt once, seeing that no creamery Lutter inaJe afterMar.>h 81st Ivan yet come into cun- ■ sumption in the eitj. " jhc Director of Agriculture states tlhnt the position created by these unduly high retail prices, together -.vitn other developments, .has necessitated further consideration of the whoic matfer of butter prices, which has been the Biibject of diseus.uon i tot we en the Government Departments concerned and those representatives of the dairy interests available , in Wellington to-dnv. It ivni thought thai the matter could' hare been settled at once, but circumstances have arisen unexpectedly w'bicii make this impossible. It is now anticipated that further consideration between representatives of the producer) and the Department will be necessary. This will probably mean n delay of some days before the mutter „ean bo definitely settled. ' In the meantime the price will be 1", lljd ex factory door,' and 23 3d over the counter for enfih. To amble tihis l;> bo done, the Government subsidy of "d per lb will lio paid on all butter sold complying with these conditions and for immediate sale. It is lioijcd a further and final announcement will bo mado before the end of next week. AUCKLAND SUPPLIES. (special to,"the press.") AUCKLAND, April 1. A customer, when, asked 2s 8d for npound (if butter this morning, demanded a receipt and remarked, '"There wiil be. trouble over this." As n matter of fact, there had already been trouble, the grocer having had a hard time to get any butter, even at the advance of threepence per pound wholesaler ' WELLINGTON COMMENT.

fiaou a special ooHaEsroNßwr.> WELLINGTON; April 1. •Householders are very'much concerned over tire lidiculously high prices that * ore now being asked for buttor. We arp naked to pay"2s 7d for New Zealand butter while the British consumer is to have tho same class of butter at 2s 3d. *', London polity was the excuse for maln- -\ taining a high price while the British v Government was buying the butter; but ]" parity is not to \ba considered now, but 11 -some other fiction. -.There is still .a 1 ; good; deal of Imperial butter in store, '"' and it would pay the Government to re-. > "■ purchase this and let the local consum- '* ers have it at 2s 3d. If the price.is I l ', maintained at 2s 7d/it is, cartain that *' u consumption will very greatly decrease, and that loenl stocks will accumulate , and prove a burden at the. opening. of' next season. " The present high prica of butter may be Attributed in part to the fancy, prices paid for -dairy land. The public is now being asked to "carry ■ iffebaby."

(I'KESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, April 1. The master grocers in Dunedin have fixed the retail.price of butter at 2s 7d per lb." '.">■'.■'■•

. BUTTER AND CHEESE IN Y , PBIOES REDUCED. v LONDON, March 31. Tho Food Ministry, has reduced the Si. selling of its. stocks of butter for jfj a fortnigtft from "tp-morrow. New Zeafiist and second grades will be sold '^ V nb 262 a per cwfc., Australian first and (s%;Seeond grades at 2445, Argentine at /2405, and Australian third grade at 2125. ■ It is expected that plenty of good butf\ tt»r will he retailing;at 2s 3d to 2s 6d ilperlb. T ' . W-f, White cheese is easier, on account of jE, Ifirge arrivals. ' New Zealand is quoted 142s per civt.j Australian to s.'sß«:l4jos. ' Coloured;sorts '.aro scarce, and p|'prices (ue unchanged. . Pi-'' 1 ' ■' • 588 |- CkIEAP FISH AND MEAT. : ' ♦ —- gt " A DUNEDIN INNOVATION. (SPECIAL TO "THE, PRESS*") ■ jf.%-' " DUNEDIN, April 1. ; fe-v Tho large crowd which besieged tho prefcnicts of tho .whaii' this morning to was ample evidence that the. i%sittnovation of the masters of the fishi ing boats in offering" their catches direot ,th<? public has! proved a great suei.* diss. Business' men, clerks, houseand boys'eageriy pressed forward to Berure a shale of the fish to bo seen on the decks of the trawlers. Prices W. ' decidctHy much below those which '.long-ttuttcring public has'bad to pay Jv. (tvhen it could pay) for its fish. Three ' boats were at the. jetty, and from the stait.it was evident that the was' fairly decided in its choice j'f 'of fish, flounders being eagerly sought ®§after, and Booii disposed of. ' There .was, however, an abundant slipply of other fish, induding soles, red cod, grof*per, kingfish, and these also obtained ttgivia,very ready sale, with the result that |k Within a few hours the \ decks -of the t ' f b6atS were practically clear of fish. f '• The crowd that had collected to, meet JC those boats was surprised to find that fe K> fish was not tho onlj" food that could |y be purchased at this impromptu al'fresco |1 tnatket. A caftload of "meat was offerfor.:sale at prices that would delight \ the economical housekeeper. The load i v compnsod fourteen dressed sheep, cjit t \ into BUitnble pieces.whicli had bt'cn mh' brought in from BUrnside abattoirs over;inght, and was sold as rapidly as tho Lfißh. ForequartcTS were eagerly bougut J,[ at 4s Gd, and hindquarters at ss, and ' the enterprising salesman could easily ) liave disposed, ot a great deal, more at such satisfactory, prices. Altogether "* tho piecmcts of the wharf bore the appeal ance of a lively market-place. i