BUTTER PRODUCERS' GRIEVANCES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3501, 12 June 1920, Page 5

BUTTER PRODUCERS ' GRIEVANCES.

MR MASSEY EXPLAINS.

VVELLINGTON, This Day.

Mr Massey, replying to Mr Goodfellow ’s criticism of the Government ’s action in .rd.'ainil_lg 200,000 boxes of i butter in the Dominion as a means of competing against the new seasons‘ make, and so keeping the price below the cost of productionl, states fifify thousand boxes of this butter had been sold to the Imperial authorities, and will be shipped away. _ _'La:i'r season, says Mr Massey}, the usual custom was followed, and it was thought sufficient had been retained in the country for our own requirements, but as a matter of fact the quantity kept was exhibited some considerable time] before the winter, and in consequence in late winter and early spring there was something approaching a butter famine. This season the depafifment have kept back more than the usual quantity so as to avoid a similar difficulty to that which _-was experienced last year. But where Mr Good-fellow goes Wrong is in, saying [the Govern-i ment intended to appropriate the but-: ter in store now for purposes of sup-l plying; the local market in competition with the new season ’s make. Thclfi is not what is intended at :11]. Mr Goodfellow mentioned that the prices in England are very-much higher t.haal the prices in New Zealand. If his stdtement is correct, and any considerable balance of the present season’s butter remains at the end of winter, that balance will probably be used for purposes supplying the local market; but the effedf of doing so will, ac- I cording to M.r Goodfellow himself, al-' low next soason’s make to be placed in a better market at a. higher price. I am surprised at keen business men missing this very important poinlt. After assuring producer's ‘the Government has done everything in its power to promote their interests right‘ Vrhrough the war period-, Mr Massey continues: What is being done at present so far as the local market is com‘ Cernod is this: For a. considerable time} past the price of butter to local con-i sumers has been kept‘ at‘ a. reasonable -level by means of {the cqualisation fund voted by Parliament. The same procedure will continue now so far as the butter produced during the c‘urrency of the existing contract, which lT'€l'llllll§ll'-CS 01l son’s butter making operations now ended the quantities available for local consumption can be quite accurately determined, and these qllantifies will be sufficient l.‘o supply low] needs for some time to come. The price to the producer will be the same as ruled throughout the season, but owing to the additional charges which have to be me.‘ the price atwhich the butter‘ is to he issued to rlis_tributors has had ‘ to be increased from 1/5 per pound: ex factory door to 1/53; ex stow 0,5 f.o.b. coastal steamler. but the lprlo-l flncors receive. with the Governmoni snbsirly, 1/75. I