THE BUTTER MARKET.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15243, 3 April 1915, Page 13

THE BUTTER MARKET.

PROSPECTS OF TRADE WITH AUSTRALIA.

(SrECIAL TO "TE.E FUESS.") AUCKLAND, April 1. The total quantity of butter in cool storage at the various ports in New Zealand on March 31st was, according to., a Press Association telegram, 49,142 boxes, as against a total ot 05,333 boxes on March 31st, 1.914. A message from Sydney .yesterday indicated that owing to tho shortage and high prices of butter in Australia, a movement is on foot in tho Commouj wealth to persuade tho Federal Government to suspend tbo import dntv so as to enable Now Zealand butter to bo placed on the Australian markets. In view of these circumstances enquiries wero mado this morning to discover what benefit an open Australian market might bo to Dominion butter producers at the present time. The opinion of a gentleman who is closely connected with the butter industry was to tiio effect that the Australian market, except in tho event of an actual butter famine on the othetside, would not be of much use to New Zealand producers. He pointed 'out that tho Australian butter market was lower as a rul<- thau the New Zealand market, ,«id that as a consequence they would bo unlikely to want our butter at a lower rate than it would command in other markets. He admitted that an open market in Australia would have a hardening effect and might attract producers who were, prepared to sell at lower rates. Against that, however, it had to bo considered that tho Home market was at present pretty high and had been higher this year than ever before, while thero seemed little doubt that prices generally would be good for somo timo to 'conic. In short, there was, he said, in his opinion, little prospective benefit to New Zealand in tho removal of tho import duty in Australia, which was itself a producing market and not at all likely from present indications to bid above other markets for our butter.