DAIRY PRODUCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 August 1938, Page 3

DAIRY PRODUCE

NEW SEASON’S PRICES REPORT BEING PREPARED (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. There is as yet no indication as to when the guaranteed prices for dairy produce for the new season, which is now a fortnight old, are likely to be announced. The advisory committee, under the chairmanship of Sir Francis Frazer and comprising representatives of both the Government and the dairy industry, has been sitting almost constantly in Wellington during the past few weeks, and it is believed that its report, embodying recommendations to the Government, is now in course of preparation. The sittings of the committee have been held in camera, but the general impression is that the members have tackled their task with thoroughness and determination and that they have made a searching investigation of all factors bearing on the present position of the dairy industry. When the committee’s report is delivered to the Minister of Marketing, the Hon W. Nash, it will probably be treated as a matter of urgency and will be dealt with at an early meeting of Cabinet, after which the actual prices for the season will be determined by the Government.

The basic guaranteed prices at the end of last season were 13.66 d a pound for butter and 7.75 d a pound for cheese, these rates embracing the respective increases of .41 d and .21 d which were announced by Mr Nash at New Plymouth in June. There is an impression that the new season’s price will represent a further increase, and in that event additional payments will be made in respect of butter and cheese exported since August 1 and paid for at last season’s rates. It is not yet known whether the report of this year’s advisory committee will be issued at the same time as the announcement of the prices or whether it will be included in the annual report of the Marketing Department, which must be submitted to Parliament before the end of the present session.