BUTTER INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1917, Page 2

BUTTER INDUSTRY.

ACUTE POSITION IN AUCKLAND. Auckland, July 9. Commenting on a statement by the Premier to the deputation of members of Parliament that sufficient butter would be taken away from the freezing •stores, especially in the North Island, to enable the factories to resume on August Ist, Mr Pacey, managing director of the New Zealand Dairy Association,' stated that in Auckland at present there were nearly 170,000 boxes of butter in store, most of which would need to be exported, as in a few weeks the new season's supply would be sufficient for local needs. He trusted there would he regular shipments, even though small. If the present accumulation could be cleared within two montliß and the industry could then be given, say,> 8 per cent, of the freezing space on ships, reasonably satisfactory clearances would be maintained. Even G per cent, would do much to improve the position.

"The meat companies," said Mr. Paeey, "are and have for a few months past been entitled to use 5 per cent, of the space for meat sundries. These arc not used for the troops, and have not any military significance and surely have pot as good a claim for consideration as has the butter industry. We. of courso, do not wish to interfere with the .meat companies having an opportunity of developing this new trade in connection with (sundries. What we ask is that the butter business should, at, any rate, have proportionate opportunities. We are usually confronted with the answer that butter is not needed for the troops. Neither is lamb, a considerable quantity of which lias been carried during the past season, sometimes even tb the exclusion of beef and mutton. A lamb Occupies approximately 22 cubic feet of space and would be worth from 25s to 30s. The same amount of space given to butter would represent a value of f 6 15s. Thus the amount of loss would be very much more serious in the case of lamb. In the case of lamb there would not be a total loss if partial slaughtering were suspended. The position in Wellington has been relieved owing to clearance about the end of February, and the position in Auckland is more urgent than elsewhere. It should be given some preference in future allotments.