RETAIL BUTTER PRICE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1921, Page 3

RETAIL BUTTER PRICE

The new retail price ol butler range.from 2s .'kl to 2s Id in ('liristoliurcli If i| were not for trade competition the rate for first-grade woiilil proha hi. lie 2s oil a lb. Wellington i-e-ople ' alri'iuly jmying the higher an'oimt. but the position is slightly ohse-ii r i .- t pn-M-nee on the market o: ;,-md miuplies of cheaper butler. S'iiiii- ini- ex pirv of the butter subsidy ot.V- i i.-,-lii-s, wholesalers and retailer.* liecn feci- to decide for themselves wha; shall he charged in the local mark.-t. They are free of all resti il l ions, tlamg i ol course. »lie Board ol I r.ul.- i-* seill supposed to" keep an eye- on any extiavagant cliarge-s. The strange part of the whole hlisl-lu-ss is that New Zealand hulter can he hough t elieaper in Eiigkual lhan in (his country. A iurrespnndi-nt bn - - w.irds an advertisi'ii-ent linm an English paper of July U>, 1 ( J-T. offering for sale- “host New Ze-alaml Imtle-r. fliim the rich pastures of the Doiiiin:i-" I evonel the sens,” at 2* 2.1 per lb. A Dairy Association official says that s,;ivekeoju-r- should be able to retail a- -- Id a lb, but. in Wellington, owing to the fact that butter is handled 1 • nieri'liauts before it readies the eonsuniers, tlio storokoopors inu.-' c !,n '- 2- r.d. Referring to another pe-inl. the same official stated, in reply to n query, that they fully recognised the justice of the contention that, seeing that the New Zealand consumers were being asked to pay export parity I«>* their hutter, they should receive export quality. Tt bad always been the aim of factories to supply a lirst-elass article on the local market. In spite of their efforts, however, there »<-r.occasions when butter of a low gradewas offered for sale on the local market, under circumstances entirely beyond the control of the butter producer. T 1 , ~ The cheese market at Home is dull, ami there is a good prospect that retail prices in New Zealand \\ ill g» k slightly. At least they will not go over the Is 2d a 11) level.