MR MOTION'S STATEMENTS.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 727, 2 May 1922, Page 5

MR MOTION'S STATEMENTS.

(To the Editor)

Sir, —In your issue of 21st inst, I read with great interest the report of the Pukekobs suppliers’ meeting held on Good Friday night. While there is a good deal of food for thought there is one statement which I feel compelled to refer to. On page 5, if correctly reported, Mr Motion states : “As a matter of fact they (N.Z. Coop. Dairy Co.) would sell butter :to anyone who wanted it and would pay the price.” This statement may have Keen" made by Mr Motion in good faith, but unfortunately it is not consistent with facts, and it is apparent Mr Motion ( is not aware of what his Auckland department was doing recently. When the N.Z. Co-Operative Dairy Company issued their circular quoting Anchor brand wholesale at Is 2d’ and Daffodil brand at Is in pats, my company was selling bulk butter wholesale at 13 7-Bd, equivalent to 14 7-8 d in pats. A few days later shipping houses were offering 14}4d (bulk) cash against documents for shipment to London, and the export price rose daily. My company, among others, saw the chance of a profit and tried to buy from the N,Z. Co-Op. Dairy Company through their Auckland office, parcels of butter at their wholesale rates but were leiused. 1

know of wholesale provision merchants who tried to buy 50 box lots but were refused although the full cash price was offered. I can supply evidence of the facts. It is a pity that Mr Motion is placed in the awkward position of having to make statements about his company’s business when hei s obviously unacquainted with the facts, and I taka ithis opppitnity of assuring ithe shareholders that a great deal of their butter would have been purchased at better prices by the distributors if Mr Motion’s statements had been the policy of his company’s Auckland depot'—l am, etc.* , F. H. LEONARD, Chairman of Directors, East Tamaki Co-Op. Dairy Co„ Ltd.