RE BUTTER SHORTAGE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 261, 31 July 1919, Page 6

RE BUTTER SHORTAGE

Sir,—At the present time we have a butter famine in New Zealand, and it is next to impossible to secure any supplies whatever. • The factories inform their Iqustbmers that this famine in butter must continue well on to the end of August, so the outlook is bad. Why there should ho this shortage one is at a loss to understand; although the late drought ployed havoc with the milk supplies, and the output of butter consequently fell very considerably, there happens to be over 200,000 boxes of butter iri- cool storage in New Zealand today. lam told that this butter belongs to the Imperial Government; well, if it does, surely oar own Government can arrange matters- satisfactorily with the Home authorities to have a fair portion of what is in cool storage released for the people of this Dominion. By the time the butter can bo got away from New Zealand supplies will be plentiful, and it would be an easy matter to make, up the full quantity for the Imperial Government then. I .would like to suggest to the Prime Minister that he acts at once in connection with this butter famine, as people in all parts of New Zealand aro complaining bitterly, and rightly so, when it is a known fact that such a lnrge quantity of butter is stored in the cool stores throughout New , Zealand. It is up to our Minister to bo up and doing, and endeavour to have m attersremedie<latonce.-l E am^

July 25, 1919. , [Inquiries made by a Dominion reporter regarding the statements in this letter go to show that there aro not "00 000 boxes of butter in the stores belonging to the Imperial Government Supplies Department, but 1500 boxes. Theso will bo distributed for local consumption; and arrangements for this have already been made. The total amount of butter held in the country is. 15,000 boxes, and an effort is being made" to' secure the equitable distribution of this butter. It is usually estimated that the nonunion consumption of butter is about 30,000 boxes a month. Some butter is still being made, and at the beginning of August muny factories will be opening. The output for a few weeks will bo small, but it is hoped that there will bo enough butter for the needs of the population. It is admitted that there will be a "squeeze," and people are, therefore, counselled to economise in the use of butter.]