OFFERS FOR BUTTER.

Shannon News, 2 January 1925, Page 1

OFFERS FOR BUTTER.

CONTROVERSY BETWEEN MR GOOUI'KJLLOW AND MR AICKEN. Quite a flutter has been caused throughout the New Zealand Press on account of the controversy on the price of butter in Auckland. For some reason or other the New Zealand Co.-operative Dairy Company saw fit to reduce their local price for butter in Auckland, a move the Opotiki Dairy Association refused to follow. In justifying their action, the chairman of the latter Association, Mr Aicken, stated in the Auckland press that he had received an offer of 1/53 for shipments of butter afloat as 'veil as a further offer of 1/6 3-8 d for February shipments. This statement was challenged by Mr Goodfellow,, managing director of the New Zealand Co.-op. Company.

It may not: be generally knownj that keen rivalry has . existed for some time between the two companies for the possession of the Auckland butter market, and,, if nothing else, the two companies have received an effective and cheap advertisement. It is doubtful whether Mr Goodfenow’s challenge had reference to the offer of 1/53. for several offers of a like figure were received by companies in this district. r It now transpires, however, that the offer of 1/6 3-8 d claimed by Mr Aicken was really for a small parcel of unsalted butter, and as such is not at all out of the way.

There exists a great deal of misconception with regard to “offers” for butter and cheese,for in nine cases out of ten, they are not offers at all It is only on exceptional occasions that firm offers are made by London Houses. The mode of procedure is that the local agent, asks dairy companies to submit a certain quantity of butter or cheese under offer to his prinlcpaia at a certain price. If the dairy company agrees to submit such an .offer, or rather “option,” the agent may accept or decline it within say twentyfour hours, or whatever time is agreed upon. It will be seen therefore that the offer 4s really made by the dairy company and not by the London merchant, and judging from a remark made by Mr Aicken, the same was the case on this occasion.