BUTTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1915, Page 4

BUTTER.

HIGII PRICES 'MAINTAINED. A M L'CH-TU AVE LLED SHIPMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Since the latest advance in the price of butter, factories, <so leading grocers state, are supplying only one grade instead of three as formerly, and this one grade is the first, sold wholesale at Js 7|d and retail at Is !)d per lb. "Whnt has happened to the other grades?" one grocer was nßked. '"They say they have none left," was the reply. There is »'o compulsory grading of butter for tUe local market. Experts arc predicting that the price of butter will fall within the next three or four week's, owing to the rapid increase of the output as the factories open for the new season, but no fall is yet reported on the local market. The prioo stands still at la Ad per lb. Betail reports from the country indicate ttat there is a tendency still on the part of the factories to turn to the production of cheese, which is highly profitable at the prices now ruling on the Home market, and which are likely to rule until the armies are demobilised. The Government had its attention drawn to a report that a consignment of New butter, returned from London, is going h»to bton<\, preparatory to, .being re•exported to Australia. Apparently the regulation prohibiting the export of butter, except by consent of the Minister of Customs, does not cover this'operation, Butter, or any other artiele held in bonil, is not in the dominion from the point of view of the Customs Department, and there does not appear to be anything to prevent the merchants from sending this much-travelled consignment to Australia, where the prices are higher than in New Zealand.