BUTTER PRICES.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 249, 18 October 1920, Page 2

BUTTER PRICES.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL GAZETTED TO-DAT. ; (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. An Order-in-Couneil, issued to-day, confirms the recommendations of the Butter Prices Committep, and fixes the scale of prices for the sale of butter as follows: Maximum in boxes, in bulk, 1/114 per 11), ex-factory door; maximum price" retail, 2/3 lb cash over counter, 2/5 booked. These maximum prices do 1 not apply to butter manufactured prior Ito August 1, 1020. The new prices operate from October 10. The Auckland butter merchants decided this morning that the wholesale price to elia.ll be 2/1J for lie pats, less V per lb discount for prompt cash payments. Many" people have been going , without butter during the last few days, not ■because it is not available, but because they are unwilling to pay 2/11, and are waiting till Parliament hag concluded its discussion and the controlled price isgazetted. It would appear from comments made in Auckland this morning" that the Imperial Government has not yet bound itself by contract to take New Zealand butter. The demand for a free and unrestricted market after next March was the stumbling-block, and the Imperial authorities were not prepared to give a guarantee on this score. About 2000 tons were sold to the United States gome time ago at 2/G f.0.b., and immediately following this sale the Imperial Government made its offer at the same price. Now the makers want the basis of English and Irish prices for their produce after next March, tut for one reason or I another, chiefly financial, some of the factories have since been compelled to I stop forcing their original demands. So j the position to-day with regard to Imj perial purchases seems somewhat indefinite, and there is «.t least a hint that New Zealand's butter may be sent Home through the usual agencies and sold in Great Britain for what it will fetch. In this case it is likely thai a price over th* 2/6 f.o.b. may be obtained at one season; while the price ■will pfo down during the summer. However, it is quite possible that the local producers would make more than the steady* 2/6 in this event. It has been whispered atiout the town that a few .grocers win not be prepared to retail their tmtter at 2/3 cash, but this is not likely to happen after the price is gazetted, although it hae been, stated that one or two will add a penny to this price. But it has been suggested that as the minimum penalty for breach of the controlled price is to be £500 there is no likelihood of any advancer being made.