CHEESE FOR SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1915, Page 3

CHEESE FOR SOLDIERS.

WANTED BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT. Bill BUYING IN NEW ZEALAND. HOW THE MARKET .WILL BE AFFECTED. The telegram that the Imperial authorities had instructed the New Zealand Government to requisition large supplies of cheese for the British troops, while a surprise no doubt for the public at large, was not expected by those engaged in the dairying industry, says the Auckland Star. Some weeks ago the proposal was made to secure cheese in the Dominion, and about the middle of last month a gathering of directors of dairy companies was held at New Plymouth to consider the price offered, namely, G'/id per lb f.o.b. The meeting made a proposal that the Government should commandeer one-fifth of the cheese output from each factory on. a basis of 7d per pound delivered at grading stores. Since then the knowledge in the trade that there was a possibility of the Imperial authorities coming into the market naturally resulted in the prices finning here. No doubt this may be made an excuse for trying to raise the price still further.

Before the outbreak of war the cheese factories paid at the rate of lid per pound for 'butter fat, but last year the rate approached nearer Is Id to Is 2d per pound. This was due to the fact that the big demand for cheese on account of the war forced prices up suddenly. As a matter of fact, some Taranaki factories last year paid as high as Is fid per pound for butter fat. The action of the Imperial authorities is evidently following on the lines of Mr Asquith's statement regarding the exercise of economy in administration. Last year the Imperial authorities bought cheese and other supplies in the open market, which forced prices up and made big profits for those who got in early and sold to the Department. As far as cheese was concerned, the price was raised by the Imperial authorities' purchases in London from 65s per cwt. to over 100s. Latest cable advice from London gives the price of cheese in the open market as 84s to 86s for Canadian, and American 74s to 7Ss, while New Zealand was cleared out. It is satisfactory to know that even the purchase of cheese to the value of £1,000,000 in New Zealand will not exhaust the supplies of the Dominion for the present season, as a number of dairy factories have double plants, and if cheese is likely to pay better than butter, then that article will have the preference in making. The high prices ruling for cheese last season resulted in the United States entering into that ibranch of the dairy industry. As far as cheese makers are concerned, the announcement of the Premier that the price will be a good one is no doubt satisfactory from their point of view, but no doubt whatever price is paid by tfce War Department must necessarily affect the price of the article on the local market.