BUTTERFAT PRICE RAISED

Chronicle (Levin), 26 April 1949, Page 5

BUTTERFAT PRICE RAISED

Press AssociatiCffl) . *

Aiiowance For. Increase In Wage i&tss ' X

(Per

W^LLIN.QTpN, AprX-25. An increas.e in the guaranteed for butterfat frpin June 1 next, was an. nounced in .a ; statement by the ch'airof the New Zealand Dairy Producis Marketing Compiission, Mr W. Mar shall, as-;follows: — . The New Zealand Dairy Prod.uc.ts JMarketing CommisSion, haying h#,d i'C; gard to the provi.sions pf s.ectiou 16 of the D.airy Pfo^uc'jis Marketing Cpmp.i$ sion Act and the reeent pronouncement by the Arbitration Court of new standard rates of wages; has fixed prices to be paid in respeet of butter and eheese acquired by it and manufactured in ' New Zealand from 1st June 1949 to 31st July 1949, as follows: — Greamery Butter Finest grade, 94 points and over, 25.8687 penee per pound. Finest grade, 93 to 93^ points, 25.7437 pence (basic priee). ; First grade, 92 to 924 points, 25.68 1'S pence. First grp.de, 90 to 914 points, 25.4937 pence. / Second grade 24.9937 pence. Whey Butter First grade, 24.7437 penee. Second grade, 24.2437 pence. Cheese . Finest grade, 94 points and over, 1.4.20485 pence per lb. Finest grade, 93 to 93^ points, 14.1736 pence. First grade, 92 to 92| points, 14.Q480 pence (basie priee). First grade, 91 to 914 points, 13.9861. Second grade, 13.79S6 pence. It is estimated that these prices will enable eliicient dairy faetory companies to pay to suppliers 28.146 pence per ib for butterfat for butter inanufacture and 30.146 pence per lb butterfat for cheese manufaeture. The structure of the guaranteed prjce on 1st June 1949, will become: Interest on-capital 3.240 pence per lb, butterfat, farm working and maintenance costs 10.179 pence, labour reward 16.267 pence, total 29.686 pence. Less standard allowanee for pigs 1.54 pence. -Net total 28.146 penee. The above priee represents an increase for labour rewa'rd in terms of butterfat, of 1.395 penee On the amount paid for the period 1st August 1948 to 31st May 1949. j.. An increase in the labour .reward wiil provide for an additional 11s 8d .per week per adult male unit of farm labour. The total labour reward equivaient in farm workers ' wages, including th.e allowanee for board and lodging, then beeomes £6 11s Sd per week p)us~ 15 per cent whieh amounts to 19s 9d, allowed in consideration of the faet that wofk is done at weekends and on holidays a« part of the normal week. The aitered labour reward will involve an incr.ea.se in farm workers' wage^s and this maiter is being referred to the Minister of Labour for his consideration and sub mission to the parties concerned. The new guaranteed priee for June aud July will me.an that the comjnission will, for that period, be buying buttei at a eost which will exceed the priee be ing paid by the United Kingdom Mm istry of Food for New Zealand b,utter. by approximately 4s 6d per hundred weight.