THE PRICE OF BUTTER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 330, 17 June 1911, Page 5

THE PRICE OF BUTTER.

MINISTER SYMPATHETIC AND HELPLESS.

By Telegraph.— Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A deputation representing the Wellington Trades and Labor Council interviewed the Acting-Minister of Customs to-day, and asked that the duty on Australian butter be reduced to allow it to enter the market as a competitor with the local product. The deputation was introduced by Mr D. McLaren, M.P., who said the workers found it increasingly difficult to make ends meet.

The president of the council said the deputation had been appointed because (1) the council had every reason to believe a butter ring existed, (2) and was of opinion that the price of butter was unnecessarily high. He S nid butter was selling in Australia at Oil or lOd, so it should be less than Is 2d here!, They asked for the removal of the duty, or else that the Government should establish State dairies to keep the price at a fair figure. The removal of tho duty would break up the existing ring and give some relief.

1 he .Minister, in reply, said the cause of the high price was not far to seek. It was almost entirely the result of the dry summer experienced, causing factories to close down earlier than "usual. He did not think butter manufacturers cared whether the duty was taken oil or not. Butter did not come under the Trusts Act. Tt if did there might be reasons for the removal of the duty, but as it did not, nothing could he done till Parliament met. 'Personally he would he in favor of bringing it under the Trusts .Act and putting" it in the same position as flour. He failed to find evidence of the existence of a ring, but if it did exist, it ought to be checked. He did not think the proposal to start a State dairy was practical. The dovernment would need 00.000 acres under dairying to make much difference. There seemed to he something wrong somewhere when New Zealand butter was cheaper in London than in Wellington. Whether a ring was operating 01 not. the local price would al ways' be regulated by the London price. He was sorry he could not help matters by removing the duty.