AUCTION SALES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 203, 22 May 1919, Page 8

AUCTION SALES

[ FORTHCOMING FIXTUKES. [ TO-DAY. j 'Colombo Road Yards, Mastorton, 11 Ji-.m. ! Sale of-stud oattlo (A. J. Cooper and - Co., awl Hurray, Roborts and Co.). 1 Main -North Koad, Shannon, 1 p.m.-Sale j "of stodk' and implements (Abraham and Williams). I- : 103 liambton' Quay, Wellington, 2.30 p.m.— ' ' Sale of freehold properties (Lougmoro i and Oo.). j . TO-MOBHbW. ' i 'Lincoln Hoad Yards, Carterton, 11 a.m.— f Stock sale (Wairarapa, Farmers'), j !lfr. N. Halso'a Farm, Te Horo, 1 p.m.— | i SaJo of Btock, eto. (Abraham and WilI Hams). i 151 Lambton Quay, Wellington, 2 p.m. • . Suburban property sale (A. L. Wilson I and" Co.). | • SATURDAY. ilrapaepae Hoad, Levin—Sale of stock and L implements (Parker and Vincent). ' VKeeyyayden," Mellings (Ist day), 1.30 p.m.— i Sale of furnituro IS. G. jjfathau and j- Co.). [ BUTTER PRICES f ' DAIRY FARMERS' GRIEVANCES ; DEPUTATION TO MINISTER i 1 | /The grievances of butter producers in ! lespeot of the 'equalisation scheme made | necessary by the limitation of price of | butter on the local market were reprej sented last night to the Hon. D. JI. I Guthrie,. Minister in Charge of Imperial j; Supplies, by the -same deputation of butI iter men who had waited on other Mini isters of the Government the previous : (evening. _ - p "i'lie Minister,- replying, said that hq |: J'as fully aware that this matter was a burning question ".with Ihe butter pro- ; . tlucers, and it happened to be a question !, iwith which he was very intimately ac- - jiualnted. He spoke of the contract made I by tho New Zealand Government for tho 1 ""le of New Zealand butter for two years ! at .Fne price of 181s. per Cwt,. He said | .that in view of the ciroumstancej of the ■ ' ."time when the contract was made the [ .(jovernment thought it was <toing a wiso : : lthing_ in stabilising tho prices of our j .principal products during tho two years j }ix> come. It dia not appear then that ; '1 lie war was going to be over ,soon. It j; Eeemed probable that it would be over ! Jiefore the expiry of the contract, but it ! iwas not then ; known liow the markets [ would go when hostilities ceased. There' j was the possibility that they would c'olj »pse.; If it had happened that the mari jkets' for wool, meat, and dairy produco i had collapsed in the • meantime, there .was no doubt that the. bargain made [■"i would have been generally admitted to j ; Jiave been' a good one. Fortunately for i Zealand, it seemed that the mar- ! , fcets were going to hold.. But there was f. nlso at that time the greater menace of j Jack of shipping to 1 get our produco out i of tip'country, and if the produce had . not been sold to the Imperial Govern- ; ment-it might have happened, as it had : happened before, that tho Imperial Gov- ' eminent would have sent to nearer coun- : tries for their supplies. But in. tho times : . .when.the-s«vJO was made, tilings by 80-means so certain as'they wero now, : and the Government thought it was doj MR a wise thing in making this sale of ; produce for two years ahead. He had ; Received numbers of letters from" high : Mancial authorities .in this country cxi pressing the strongest, approval ol' the' j step . taken by the Government in selling i the wool, meat, and dairy produce, and ! 60 ensuring.the stability of New Zealand's : finance m the most oifficult period: The r question of whether the Government aot- : ■ cd wisely beone for differences of ■ ob:nion. but he ventured to say that at i- t" 8 time tho Government had a maioritv | ot the people behind it. At any rate the contract was made with the full consont I of representatives of Jhe butter proiiu.;- • ere Of the wFoTo country, and the con- !, tract.,was m good faith by the .- Government on behalf of tlio producers. '. .When .the contract had been made the :'/ quostion arose as to Jidw the local mar- ! to bp . supplied, seeing that the ; Price for . local consumption was not so i !;J5 U SMH 4 f°F, ex P°' rt - He had been : pleased to find that the' producers we're lUning to adopt this expedient of the ; equalisation fumL Now, after a season !' ejypenenoe of tno working of this fund, i til 6 da ""y farmers wore arfiing the Gov- ! ernment to tako the whole of the burden, i and to compensate the sellers to the local | market by making the payment out of. ; the Connohdated Fund of the country, ; ITie action of the Government in regard i to the subsidy to flour-millers had been ; urged as a, precedent for th» payment of !■ J..18 equalisation money out. of the State ; luuds. lhat arrangement was made be- ;■ «? n «e v '" s represented by- the millers i "IS.'. the fixed prices for their flour j ;and price they had to pay for j wheat,.tbj>y could not operate unless at a I lQi<s." Muierft"would now have to produce t thoir bouks: to show all about tneir oper- : .atiohs before being entitled to tho subi ia d made a lose tho loss j .would bo made up.. I A voices We can produce our books to | ■ show that at the local price of butter at i. Is. sd. we cannot prorluiio except at a I loss. '

■ As to wliai the Government would do ; about'the request now being made on be-. BSIT of the butter producers lie could express no opinioii. It was a "matter that wouia have to bo decided-by Cabinet, and be hwl 110 authurity to give any otli6r 'assurance on behalf of Cabinet except- that the matter would have consideration. In Cabinet ho would express his own .opinion. ' ' In conclusion,, Mr. Guthrie told the deputation that he had Jiimsplf had experience of this business in which thoy were all- engaged, and the producer had' his sympathy. Ont> remark, lie added to express, his. opinion that if any levy had made on any section of the dairy; industry.-it. should have been spread over all sections. , ;This rejuark ivas received with cries of general assent.