THE BUTTER SUBSIDY

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 28 October 1920, Page 3

THE BUTTER SUBSIDY

THE COST TO THE COM-

MUNITY

According to official figures the average consumption of butter per head of the population of this country for all purposes is 20H lbs. per annum. Apart from the subsidy therefore the increased charge upon the public works out on the average of 10s 3d per head of the population per annum, or, including the subsidy, 20s 6d per annum. In return for this the demand for an increase of 2s 6d per week in the one case, and of 3d per hour in the other, to meet the increased cost of butter, is not only absurb, but actually preposterous. Yet, some people, even some members of Parliament, are prepared to make a first class grievance j out of the increased payment to i the producers. In view of the greatly enhanced cost of production, due not only to the increased wages that have to be paid to the worker, but also to the enhanced value of dairying land and dairy stock, many of the producers have, on the showing of the Butter Price Committee set up by the House of Representatives, been receiving not more than Is per hour for their own labour after meeting other producing costs and some have actually been carrying on at a loss. Taking last season's butter output of 560,000 cwt. as the basis of the current season's product the butter producers will receive an additional £3,140,666. The N. Z. consumption last year amounted to 220,000 cwt., the balance of 340,000 cwt. being exported.