CHAOS IN BUTTER PRICES

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 61, 13 March 1934, Page 6

CHAOS IN BUTTER PRICES

On the eve of the dairy industry conference in New Zealand, "The Times" points out the enormous difference between the prices of butter in London (655), in Berlin (184s), and in Paris (2385). What a scathing indictment of quotas, tariffs, and all forms of. protection the old Free Trade leaders would have .built up on these figures, but now even Lord Snowden is -silent, and it is alleged that the .British Labour Party,, instead of making its rallying cry the British workers'- cheap food, will outbid Conservatism for the British farmer's vote.. Whether that be so or not, the dairy farmers must, face the fact that the powers that be in England.are determined to restrict dairy supplies, whether sooner "or later; and Sir John Sandeman Allen told the New Zealand Club yesterday that the inevitable (quota) had to be accepted. Australia's butter export, has increased in the last five years at a vastly greater rate than New Zealand's, : . and- Sir: John made the point that this -Australian expansion, could cpntinue jif Britain did ■ not adopt some, restriction based, on the existing position in the market.'"lf j! he said, ; unlimited' ■ production ;,was not checked; '■■£.■■>'f •'.!■ •■'.-;-';' '~..'£ Australia would '.be in >^position to. develop \lier 'primary; industries" to a greater,^extent than New■■,^Zealand, whereas protection. ; be* secured from; a 'quota. *,■;/;'.■■ ■;'..'.• i: --: : :.:■;/> i.».-.. 9.; > Compare with this Sir James'rParr's. cabled remark that'if British produce had tlie first.claim in". Britain,'the New Zealand, farmer, should come; next... Widi the'beginr^ing of chilled beef, and with a reconstruction.' in dairying, trade for a decade, or even for decades, may be profoundly affected by what is done now.