DOES A BUTTER RING EXIST ?

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1157, 19 June 1911, Page 8

DOES A BUTTER RING EXIST ?

SOME REMARKS ON THE MATTER. (By Telccraph.-Suocial Correspondent.) Wanganui, Juno 17. Re~arding a'statcment made in Wellington tint a butter ring is believed to exist in New Zealand, Mr. G. N. Baggett (a director of the Wanganui Dairy Company), on being interviewed on the subject; said that ho knew of nothing in the nature of a butter combine, and did not think that oue existed. He said that no doubt factories and merchants would be holding a certain amount,in store, tut the quantity so held could not be large. In fact, owing to the recent drought, it was very much less than the quantity held a few months ago, when butter was in much larger supply. The shortage, as a matter of fact, must be greater than even the Government returns snowed. This shortage Mr. Baggett attributed to the severe drought in the autumn, v.hicji caused a great diminution in the milk supply, anil this, he considered, would be found accountable for any rise -n price which might take place. Questioned regarding the reported importation cf Australian butter, Mr. Baggett said that, whatever might be claimed for .the quality of the butter produced by the commonwealth, there was no doubt that it did not approach that of New Zealand, am! he did not think that the butter producers of the Dominion need have any cause to fear competition from the other ndo of the Tasman Sea.