BUTTER PROFITS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 173, 22 July 1918, Page 4

BUTTER PROFITS.

EQUALISATION FUND. NEXT SEASON. (Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. A conference of dairy producers with the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister in charge of Imperial Purchases and Supplies, is to take place here next week, for the purpose of considering the terms ■of tho next season's purchase. It is quite evident, from the experience of last season, that the suppliers will not proceed without some equitable scheme for ensuring fair treatment of the factories which send their output into the local .market. The division of English profits between the Imperial purchase authority and the New Zealand exporters on a fifty per cent basis is likely to bring an extra twopence per pound to the pockets of the exporters, but those who supplied about 10,000 tons of butter for New Zealand consumption this winter are that much to the bad, compared with the shippers who got 157/ per cwt, plus the profit. The exact amount of this profit is still in doubt. It is understood that the dairy producers are agreed upon tho operation of an equalisation echeme for next season, and if they bring it forward the Government will accept it. One condition to be put forward by tho producers is that dried milk should bo included in the scheme on a parity vrith butter. The Government is not prepared to suggest any method of meeting the grievance ot thelocal suppliers in respect to this season's lost profits, but something may be mutually agreed, upon .by- the produceie.