BUTTER AND CHEESE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 48, 21 November 1918, Page 7

BUTTER AND CHEESE

THE IMPERIAL PUHCHASE. The Imperial nuthoiities have not yet closed the arrangement for the purchase of New Zealand's exportable tmrplus of butter. Yesterday was the usual day of the month for the payment of cheques by the dairy companies to the suppliers, but payments could not bo made in many cases. The Government probably would have made temporary arrangements with the banks for the payment of advances on butter if the banks had been open, and it is not anticipated that the difficulty will bo more than temporary.

. The present position is that the producers have agreed to accept the prices offered by the 'imperial Government, namely, 10|d. per lb. for cheese and 181s. per cwt. tor butter. The producers tried to get IOGs. ner cwt. for the butter, en the ground that Iho prices offered favoured cheese as against butter, but the Imperial authorities made- no increase in the price first mentioned. Almost all last season's make of butter has now left the Dominion. There is a relatively small quantity held in Auckland, which it is hoped to ship soon. A large quantity of last' season's cheese, however, is still in store, and its room is wanted for the new make; but there is tonnage in sight for. lifting a fairly he.ivy cargo at nn onrly date, which will give appreciable relief to the. congestion.