BUTTER PROFITS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7013, 24 July 1918, Page 4

BUTTER PROFITS.

Equalisation Sclieme.

Wellington, July 23

A conference of dairy producers vt ith the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister in charge of Imperial Purchases and £up-^ plies, is to take place here, for the purpose of considering the terms of the next season's purchase. Ifc is quitf> evident, from the experience of last season, that the soppHers will not proceed without some equitable scheme for ensuring fair trea fment of the f>c tories which send their output into 'h* local market. The division of English profits between the Imperial purchase authority and the New Zealand ex porterg on a fifty per cent basis is likely to briner an extra twopencfl per pound to the pockets of the exporters, but those who supplied about 10,000 tons of buttor for New Zealand con sumption this winter are that much to the bad, compared with the shippers who got 157s per cwt, plus the profit. The exact amount of this profit "is still in doubt. It is understood that tbe dairy producers ara agreed upon fhe operation of an equalisation scheme for next season, and if they bring it forward the Government will accept it One condition to be put forward by the producers is that dried milk should be included in the scheme on a parity with butter. The Government is not prepared to suggest any method of meeting the grievance of the local suppliers in respect to this season's lost profits, but something may be mutually egreed upon by the producers.