THE BUTTER FUND.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1919, Page 5

THE BUTTER FUND.

REPRESENTATIONS TO MINISTER,

By Telegraph.—Press Associ&tlon. Wellington, Last Night. A. deputation representing the Dominion Butter Committee waited on Sir James Allen and the Hon. W. S. D, Macdonald to-day, and asked that the cost of supplying cheap butter to the local market should be borne, not by .the dairy farmers, but by the general community through the Consolidated Fund. It was pointed out that many dairy farmers were very poor men, and .the provision for the Equalisation Fund represented a tax of £ 1 per cow. Sir James Allen said that, if he recollected right, the proposal for the Equalisation Fund came in the first instanee from the industry. A member of the deputation replied that the scheme had been forced upon them.

Sir Jantes Alien said the Government could not be accused of imposing this particular burden on the dairy farmers The suggestion that the burden should" be placed on the Consolidated Fund Would have to be considered by Cabinet. The Son. W. S. D. Macdonald said to-night that the' whole matter had been settled. He thought the question had arrived at a stage it which it would not have arrived if the original equalisation scheme had been left alone. Then the burden would have been spread over the whole dairying industry. The Butter Committee had made an undertaking to see that the local market was supplied at Is 5d per pound when the two years' purchase agreement Was being negotiated. It was on this condition that the sale Was made, and there was complete agreement between the Butter Committee and the Imperial Supplies Department. He would be pleased to give the matter consideration when it was before Cabinet, but the butter people mast net be under the impression that they had been singled Out. If the scheme had been extended to cover all the milk '■ products there Would not be such a heavy burden on the butter producers.