PRICE OF BUTTER

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 40, 10 November 1921, Page 6

PRICE OF BUTTER

IN WELLINGTON AND AUCKLAND A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT A brief statement regarding the ’price of butter in Wellington and Auckland respectively was made by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Lon. E. P. Lee) yesterday in reply to the following question, asked by Air. A. Harris (Waitemata): "In view of the fact that butter is being retailed in Auckland at 2s. 3d. and 2s. 4d. per pound, against Is. 10<l. per pound, in Wellington, will the Minister at once instruct !' the Board of Trade to look into the position of Auckland wholesale and retail butter prices?” Mr. Leo stated: "The prices of butter in Auckland are 2s. 3d. per pound cash and 2s. Id. booked; and in Wellington the'prioe for standard brands is 25., but other brands are being sold at from Is. lOd. to Is .lid. per pound cash. The price of butter is not controlled by Order-in-Council, and there is a free market throughout the Dominion. Prices therefore vary in different localities. The reason for cheaper butter being available in Wellington is due to the fact that Taranaki and Wanganui factories are * competing for a share in t'he local trade, but those factories are not competing in the Auckland market. I consider that the position of the price of butter in Auckland cannot be maintained, and there are indications that both the wholesale and retail prices there will be substantially reduced in a few days.” RESALE OF LAST TWO WOOL CLIPS LITTLE LIKELIHOOD OP PROFIT. Replying to a question asked by Mr J. Hom (Wakatipu) the Prime Minister yesterday made the following statement regarding wool profits:—. "The Dominion’s share of profits arising from the resale of the first two wool clips (1916-17 and 1917-18) sold to the Imperial Government has al/eady been distributed to growers. IL'will not be poseible to ascertain wha£ profits, if any are available from tho resale of the last two wool clips (1918-19 and 1919-29), which were the subject of a separate contract, until the wool has been disposed of. At present there are over 600,000 bales still unsold, and the present market position is such that it is unlikely that the final liquidation of these two. clips will leave any profit for New Zealand woolgrowers.” MIRAMAR DWELLINGS THE, DRAINAGE PROBLEM. The following questions about the Miramax workers’ dwellings were recently put to the Minister of Labour by Air. jT, A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs): "(1) Is the Mhiistcr aware that the drainage work now being carried on at Broadway, Miramar, to accommodate the workers’ homes is a sower into which storm water cannot bo discharged? (2) Will the Minister, to prevent a repetition of the recent ilooding of the sections, give instructions to have an open drain cut on the southern side of the houses and so enable tho surface water to escape?” "There is a storm-water drain fronting the Miramar houses,” said Mr. Wright, "but it is already taxed to its limits during a heavy downpour of rain, and is therefore useless as A means of carrying additional surface water."

The Minister replied: "(1) It is undergtood that the drainage work which the City Council has in hand, at Miramar fs a sewer and that the 'storm water will not be discharged into it. When completed, this will take the sewerage which at present is discharged into temporary sump-holes. (2) The Department has already arranged for a drain to be provided at the southern end of the low-lying sections to carry away the sur- " face water; also arrangements have been , made with the city engineer for some of the sections to 'be connected with a storm-water drain in front ,pf the dwellings/’ “Tenders have already been called for the drainage connections to the sewer, and everything is in readiness to connect immediately the sewer is completed, said the Minister in reply to another question by Mr.’ Wright. SUPERANNUATION AMENDMENT TEACHERS AND T.C. STUDENTS. “A Superannuation Amendment Bill is being prepared for introduction this session, and proposals are being considered relating to the inclusion of trainfag coitege service and military service for superannuation purposes,” stated the Minister of Education yesterday. "The present provisions of the Teachers’ Superannuation Act permit a contributor without loss of superannuation rights to be unemployed for a period of one year, zor in special cases with the previous approval of thc\ Superannuation Board for Two years, and it is not considered » that this concession should be further extended.”