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Telegram from the High Commissioner for New Zealand to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister, I dated 18th March, 191.8. Butter: With reference to your telegrams 12th February and 13th March: Food Controller hopes to be able to shortly furnish me. with particulars as to basis for assessing, on receipt of which I will express opin ion. ; . . ....■.' Telegram from the High Commissioner for New .Zealand to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister, dated 15th May, 1918. With reference to profit-sharing on butter after deducting costs, Food Ministry computes margin of 345. to 365. for division, but delay may occur, and there may be difficulties in arriving at just estimate of relative proportion of costs. Would producers prefer to wait, or accept, say, half above amount? Figures have been supplied by Butter Cheese Imports Committee in support of their estimate, and these are stated to be based on actual account sales. Telegram from the Right Hon. the Prime ..Minister, London, to the -Hon. the Acting Prime Minister, Wellington, dated .19th June, 1918. Purchase of butter next season depends on ability supply space. Further information promised in a few weeks. Telegram from the Hon. the Acting Prime Minister to the High Commissioner for New Zealand, dated 12th October, 191.8. Dairy-produce: Position is becoming most, awkward because of extraordinary delay in completion negotiations sale and purchase. Factories are experiencing greatest difficulty in arranging finance, and Government has been approached to assist in meeting considerable payments due to suppliers on 20th instant. Should be greatly obliged if you would use every endeavour to expedite proceedings and cable earliest, possibly reply.—J. Allen. Telegram from the Right Hon. the Prime Minister to the High Commissioner for New Zealand, dated Wellington, 28th October, 1.918. Dairy-produce: Yesterday T met Dominion Butter and Cheese Committees, who unanimously desire that purchases of butter and cheese should be considered separately. Price offered for cheese, lOfd.per pound, was accepted, for two years, but disappointment was expressed at price offered for butter. Butter Committee of opinion that 1965. asked is reasonable, and in view of selling-prices in United Kingdom would leave generous margin profit to Imperial Covernment. Committee further states that 181s. offered would, in view of heavy increase in cost materials manufacture, return less per pound butter-fat, to suppliers than that returned two years ago, and very considerably less than that returnable for cheese at IOJd. Committee hopes prices will be reconsidered and, 1965. agreed to. To enable shipping-space available to be utilized it is urgently necessary that final-decision of Imperial' Government be telegraphed earliest possible moment. Presume that conditions regarding advances which applied to last season's produce will, continue, and it is further, requested that Imperial Government will, in view of difficulty in obtaining cover here, accept risk from factory-door instead of from f.0.b., and also pay storage charges after twenty-eight days. As season so far advanced, would greatly appreciate prompt attention. ■- Telegram from the Rigid, Hon. the Prime Minister to the lligji Commissioner for New Zealand, . dated 14th November, 1918. With reference to my telegram 29th October and your telegram 7th November: Butter Committee agree to accept 181s. for two years. They urgently request you to endeavour to get purchasers accept insurance from factory-door and storage charges after twenty-eight days. They trust you will make clear to the Imperial Government that the price is being accepted under protest in view of price for other butters and for cheese. Telegram from ihe High Commissioner for New Zealand to the Bight Hon. the Prime Minister, dated 18th November, 1918. Dairy-produce: With reference to your telegram of 15th November, I have Interviewed Food Controller, and as result I think that we may expect payment of storage after butler has been in store for two months. He has promised to submit to Treasury propriety of assuming risk from factory-door to, f.o.b. . : . j Telegram from the Right Hon. the, Prime Minister to the High Commissioner for New Zealand. dated 21st.November, 1918. Butler : For financial reasons very anxious to know whether we can assume that, pending the settlement of the question of storage and insurance, transaction has been completed. Telegraph reply with least possible delay. Telegram from, the High Commissioner for New Zealand to the Right Him. the Prime Minister, dated 25th November, 1918. Dairy-produce: With reference to your telegram of 21st November, you can take it that transaction closed at lOfd. for cheese and £9 Is. for butter. Storage after two months to be paid by Food Ministry. Food Controller just waiting formal approval of Treasury before officially confirming. Food Ministry make condition that during the period of contract cheese shall not represent more than, 81 per cent, of the total. During last season cheese represented 76 per cent.

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