BUTTER AND CHEESE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 81, 3 April 1908, Page 6

BUTTER AND CHEESE.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

-' * WFJULINGTON,: Thursday. Butter is likely to ease down in. price, probably next week, the spell of good rain following the drought having proved ' most beneficial to dairy farmers in the Manawatu, Wairarapa, and Taranaki districts. It had been proposed that the local shortage should be met by importations from Australia, but one wholesale -merchant on going into the matter -with a Press representative this morning said the idea was not at all feasible., In the first place, Australian, butter did not suit .the New Zealand palate, and this had been demonstrated over and over again. In the next place, the duty and charges would render its importation unprofitable. A meeting of j wholesale butter merchants is to be held shortly, however, when, among other things, the question of local prices will ] be considered. '

NEW PLYMOUTH, Thursday. For seven months of the present dairying season 120,085 packages of butter, of the value approximately of £291,178, and 24,317 cases of cheese, of the value of £84,121, have been shipped from New Plymouth. During the same period there were shipped at Patea 48,374 boxes of butter, of the value of £131,663, and 63,865 boxes of cheese, of the value of £178,317, showing total exports of Taranaki dairy produce to date of the value of £685,274. There is estimated to be about £30,000 worth in store