PRICK OF BUTTER

Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1920, Page 3

PRICK OF BUTTER

RESTRICTIONS TO RE REMOVED. The. Hamilton correspondent of the Auckland “Herald” says that a cablegram from England on Thursday stated that the control of home-made butter would shortly be removed in Great Britain, and that the retail price wav expected to be raised to 2s Sd per lb. Asked as (q {ho probable effect on j tlm New Zealand market a prominent dairyman said there was probably an 1 error in the cablegram. He regarded ( it ns almost certain that the Imperial Government- would main tain control ol | supplies for a considerable time yet, and t.liat it was probably now finding it accessary to raise the retail price, from 2s (id to 2s 8d per lb. 't’tie-TVTffff price re England bad Keen 2s fid for some years. The world-shortage of butter was exceedingly acute, ami it was very unlikely that the control would he lifted for a year or two. The total imports into Great Britain last year wore approximately two. thirds less than iu 1914. Tho only normal supplies were from, Australia and New Zealand, The speaker, remarked that the Imperial Government not long ago p»v, Chased a large supply in Denmark at :is per lb. on toj> of which' were to be added shipping and marketing rates If New Zealand was to have a free market next year, it was highly probable that an advance would shortly j lie made in the price of butter in Ne.W. | Zealand! This would nlrq%t certainty happen when -(hft prqducera again sej cured a free market, as they hoped to I do, 'at the end of July, j The price of butter in Australia at the present time was Is lid per lb I cash, and 2s booked. Australian butter on the opoti market sold at Id per lb less than the New Zealand produce, yet the New ealand public were able to purchase the latter at Is 8d per lb. Butter in Canada was selling at 3s fid. I It was quite obvious be added, that when the producers secured a free

market the Government would be unable to make up the difference between the market rates and the present controlled price out of the Consolidated Revenue, which would mean something like three-quarters of a million a year. At present restaurant-keepers and wealthy' people who could well afford to pay full prices, were actually securing their supplies at less than the cost of production, which bad gonejip by leaps and bounds.