SWEDISH BUTTER BOXES

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1924, Page 4

SWEDISH BUTTER BOXES

«► AHE DAIRY FACTORIES TAKINR A RISK ? 'rmc department watching. WKi.I.INGTOX, August 22. Recently representations worn lliado to tiio Government by tin* Timber Workers L T nion in Southlnml respecting large importations of Swedish Imttor boxes which various dairy companies are making at tlic present time, as it is claimed that these importations of the fully manufactured boxes in sliooks ivill seriously affect the workers employed, not only in the sawmilling industry, but also in the many box factories. Thai tile timhel’ workers have leason to lie apprehensive oT the elfeet of these importations, a “Times’’ reporter was informed, may be illustrated by the fact that the f|ttantily of these Swedish boxes already known to be landed or ordered for the coining season, some ;lif) ( r>f)o boxes, is equivalent to puttin'* out of employment fliily oO men in New Zealand for 12 months. DUTY THAT IS XO DUTY. A fact that is not generally known is that tiiese foreign importations come in virtually duty free, for though they at'e subject to :• duty of -Is per 10!) super feet—which is equal to .'hi per box—this duty is refunded after the boxes have been packed with hatter in New Zealand and re-shipped lor export. This naturally has the ‘.‘fleet of removing file small duty on imported boxes which had I cell imposed as a measure of protection for the New Zealand workers. A COXTRA DICTION. An interesting sidelight’on the dairy companies’ aim in making these importations can be gleamed irom the billowing extract lrom the ollieial organ of the dairy companies under the name of Air W. Cloodledow, managing director:— “Re hotter boxes. We r« eentl.V imported a small line of Swedish butter boxes in sliooks as a trial line. If these prove satisfactory, the price at which Swedish boxes can he purchased will enable us to cut the prices of white pine down to a reasonable figure. Owing to Australian oilers the tendency of recent months has been for the sAwinillers to ask a substantial hinvJi.'C mi previous scjisoii s piKi’S. In reply to this latter statement, however, it lias been pointed out on behalf of the sawmilling industry that the statement is entirely contrary to fact, for white pine boxes for the < online season’s supplies have been freely offered by box makers to the dairy companies at fast season s prices. RUNNING A RISK. It was further stated that the foreign boxes had not yet been proved suitable for the carriage of butter to (.'real llritain, and the timber, being of a somewhat ic-inoils nature, is quite liable to give l he butter a taint. Then lore the dairy industry is running a risk of deterioration of the butter. which would mean a very serious loss in returns, and damage to the high prestige which New Zealand hut let now holds in English markets, merely lor the sake, of saving n few pence possibly Id per box. oil a eontainei containing an article worth about !Us, There lore if any deterioration cause! the price to fall by -M per lh, the prodiners would lose ds -Id lor the -sum of saving Id on the box. | Tits asnect ol the question may not be generally known to dairy farmer! who are suppliers to the various far lories using or proposing to u- ' the foreign boxes. TESTS TO HE MADE. It is understood that the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture is watching this phase ul the question very carefully, and will haw the butter arriving in England .in spruce boxes carefully tested for taint, but should it be alloetcd bv taint till damage will then have been done.