THE BUTTER PROBLEM.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 224, 7 November 1916, Page 4

THE BUTTER PROBLEM.

Hamilton Farmers' Opinions. At last Thursday's meeting, at Hamilton, of the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral Association a brief informal discussion took place in regard to the action of the Government in dealing with the butter question. Mr J. W. Anderson said that he was perfectly satisfied with the position. If high prices obtained for butter, he said that it only meant higher prices for dairy cows and a fictitious value for stores. To his mind the associations that were passing resolutions against the Government's action in the matter were wrong. Mr W. Newell agreed with Mr Anderson, He failed to see, he said, why the New Zealand people should get the same price as the people at Home, where the cost of

production was more than what it was here At Home cows had to be boused and fed for at least eight months in the year, while here they were running about for ten months out of the twelve. He thought that the butter people were asking a bit too much and they were getting a fine price at the present time. When the farmers in this country were getting 7d they were as well satisfied as with Is 7d at the present time. His view was that it would be unwise for the Association to interfere in the question. Where they were of a mixed membership, as in their own case, the question was one which was better left alone. Mr Atkin said that he was neither a sheep nor a cattle man, but to bis mind if the Dairy Associations had supplied the export and wholesale trades alone they would have obviated a lot of trouble for themselves.

Mr T. Clarkin oould not agree with the other speakers. He held that the working man of the Old Country had the right to be considered in this question. There was talk about keeping prices down, but the prices of everything else was soaring up the whole time. Now £d was taken off the butter fat before it left the factory, while with the price not to go above Is 7d the butter people were being "got at" from both directions. It was now necessary to pay for their license before they could ship, and the whole lot might go down before it reached its destination, be said.