THE PRICE OF CHEESE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3022, 8 March 1917, Page 6

THE PRICE OF CHEESE

NEW ZEALAND AND OTHERS

QUESTIONS IN HOUSE OF COMMONS

(Hoc. March 7, 8.-10 p.m.) London, March 6. In the House of Commons Mr. Will Thome asked whether the Government was paying -9id. for New' Zealand cheese, though the Dairy Association, in August, offered the entire output at Bld., the Government refused the offer; whether the Government was aware that the difference represented a loss of £350)000—as a consequence Oanad--ian cheese had. risen to 1565., English to 1605., while the Nejv Zealand price was 1025.; whether the Government intended to take_actiim,.because.tho Canadian and English manufacturers were setting £50 per ton more.

Mr. Roberts (Secretary to the Board of Trade), replied that the facts generally wero as stated,. The price asked in August wa_s_sp much in excess of the 1915 price that the War Office did not feel justified in .accepting without further negotiations. The purchase of colonial cheese for the Army and civilians was now in the hands of the Board of Trade, who were dealing with the •matter, in'collaboration with'the colonial Governments. The Board hoped by this action to substantially reduce the prices, which wero mainly duo to the small quantities in the market.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. •