NEW ZEALAND BUTTER

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 148, 25 June 1934, Page 12

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER

OFFICIAL CONTRADICTION

(From "The Post''s" Representative.). ' LONDON, < May li. Mr. H. E. Daviß, London manager of the Dairy Produce Board, has some' difficulty in overtaking loose statements made about New. Zealand^ dairy produce.. . The. '"Daily Telegi-aph" has on more than one occasion in the past few ; months made statements which required correction. This week the offence is to be found in the leading article. -: , ■ . "Moreover," says the writer, "what should we say to our own farmers, who are even now complaining of New Zealand butter sold in this country at very much lower prices than in the land of origin?" .;...: ; ' ■•■■'■■■.

Mr. Davis has today replied to, this in a letter to the editor. '

"There is not an atom.."o£ justification for the suggestion contained in this question," he says, "any. more than for the suggestion, which is frequently made, that New Zealand butter production is subsitdised or stimulated ;in some way or other. _ "As ,long ago as- December, Mr. J. H. Thomas, the Secretary for the Dominions, quoted ■ figures showing that the wholesale price of New Zealand butter was the same here and in the Dominion, subject to an allowance, in respect of shipping charges.; ~'":; '.: , "■■■-.. • : "This statement' was further confirmed in the House of Commons on May 3 by Dr. Burgin, ■Parliamentary Under-Secre-tary to the Board, of Trade, although, curiously.:enough,: he lapsed: >intb • error when he gave figures indicating no difference -between the domestic price of Danish' butter and the price.on the'; London market.:,.-;- ■;...- ■ ,-*..£si-~...U\f<':-. ..; .^- ..•' ~ "In; point of .fact, all the. 'foreign dairy producing countries, such: "as Denmark, Holland, Sweden,;.ahd^Ffnland; stabilise' home prices i:.at f a level substantially:-higher than that ■ obtaining'for- their products on the British ,market."::/ ; ■ •;. ;/..-;•• '■;-:-• * SHIPMENTS TO CANADA^ j A;, paragraph which found.its !-way v : into other newspapers of the country was as follows':— ■ -;■' '■'■;'■ ■ -'■■: : ..r-.: /'Canada is buying New Zealand buttery and large quantities have recently been re-: exported from Surrey iCbmnjejcMal Docks." It is not-known' on tliis/side' the" exact amoulit of butter that:has been sent" direct from;New Zealand to Canada,- but a good d. eH-i. s known of th!e difficulties and vexa-: ,ion .that have been eau6ed;by.the Canadian' Government'„ putting .. New Zealand butter bond when it arrived - : '■; . '.-AsI 'for- re-export froin'-'this "country it is known that about. 20;000 boxes'have been' sentgbut^most of' this' wis Australian,' not New Zealand; iHoweverJ'as.New Zea™j>>tter holds .the stage: at present' tne difference between the Commonwealth." and the Dominion is not a matter1 for serii ous-.consideration among some writers. '