PURCHASE OF BUTTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1917, Page 5

PURCHASE OF BUTTER.

POSITION STILL UNCERTAIN. By Wire.—Our Parliamentary Reporter. Wellington, Last Night. Mr. Massey mads a statement regarding the of butter and cheese by the Imperial autho»iti«s in reply to a question by Mr. C. A. Wilkinson. He said negotiations were still incomplete. He had noticed that the Imperial authorities had arranged to take Australia's surplus of butter at Is 4d. He presumed the report referred to the whole surplus butter of the Commonwealth. It was very likely that the Imperial Government had wanted to complete the arrangement with Australia before proceeding with the negotiations with New Zealand. Mr, Massey added that his first proposal, made soon after his return from London, had been that the Imperial authorities should purchase a part of the New Zealand butter. He was told this would not be very satisfactory, ajid that it would be better to take t'iie whole output. The offer to the Imperial authorities had been made, but the reply was still awaited. He anticipated no difficulty about cheese, and he believed the price would be found to be satisfactory. He had received a cablegram from tho Imperial Government in reply to his request that space should be allowed for a, quantity of butter now in store in the Dominion. They staved that if rabbits were taken there wcukl be less room for butter. They placed meat first iu order of importance foi shipping purposes, then cheese, then butter, and finally rabbits.