BUTTER BOXES

Hokitika Guardian, 23 June 1927, Page 1

BUTTER BOXES

USE OF FOREIGN TIMBER CONDEMNED.

WELLINGTON, June 21

A request that the Government should readjust the tariff on imported butter boxes and fruit baskets so as to give Hie locally-made article a better chance to complete with that of foieign manufacture was made to the Prime Minister, the Minister for Customs, and tho Minister for Industries and Commerce to-day by a deputation representing the New Zealand Timber Industry Advancement League.

Tho secretary of the League (Mr AY

A. Turnbull) presented to the Ministers samples of imported and locallymade fruit baskets, and declared that, largely as a result of importations, several' of the small towns on the Alain Ti unk line had been reduced by about one-half in tlieir population through | the. slackness of business in the timber j industry. There was a duty of J-3 per I cent., he said, on some of the baskets i he exhibited, hut that was not suffiI ciont to keep them out. Mr A. Cooper, a butter box manufacturer, said lie feared serious trouble as a result of importations of boxes and crates. Complaints bad been received from Home that New Zealand butter was being opened up in a tainted condition, and the League contended that that was due to the butter being packed in foreign containers. New Zealand white pine was the finest, timber in the world lor the purpose. It was significant that the Danes refused to use Swedish spruce lor the packing of their own produce. " T have yet to learn.” he said, pointing to resinous knots in a sample of Swedish timber, “ that turpentine and butter will blend.”

The Minister for Industries and Commerce (the Hon. Mr McLeod): Your best plan is to educate the farmer instead of the Government.

Mr Cooper said they had convinced the farmers of the economic advantage of using Now Zealand boxes. The cost of the New Zealand box worked out. at only one threc-lmudrcdtli of apenny per pound of butter-lat more than the Swedish box. Mr McLeod: \Yc woui'd like to know bow these Imported boxes are coming

Mr Turnbull: There is dumping taking place in New Zealand, and it is equally hal'd to prove it. The Prime Minister (M,r Coates) said lie admitted that the timber industry, in common with business generally, was going through a difficult period. The course taken by the Government in giving protection to the industry last session, and the subsequent endeavours that lmd been made to .standardise building requirements, were moves in the right direction. Mr McLeod said lie had been sympathetic all through in trying to assist the millers. The deputation had to convince the farmer that he was not doing Hie right thing by using the imported boxes. Was it to bo expected that if the butter opened up tainted in England they would still continue to use the imported article? Tho grading reports were aVI against the reports of taint.

Mr Contes: I have not bad one tittle of evidence to back up what yon say. 'i'llat is only in respect to Government graders in Great Britain. Air McLeod said that Ibis year butter had opened up all over the world in tainted condition, but there was no evidence that that was due to the timber of the boxes. II the co-opeia-tivo concerns asked for loreign boxes to be shut out the Government would be only too glad to meet- them. The Prime Almister said that the deputation could leave Hie niattci salelv in the hands ol the Government! which was interested to see that the timber industry and the primary industries also wore not prejudiced by importations. ”A\o are all lor helping local industry along.” he said.