PRICE OF BUTTER.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16946, 22 September 1920, Page 8

PRICE OF BUTTER.

tO TUB X3HTOR OF "TK% !«813i." Sir,—ln to-day's issue of "The Press , "Dialer" states that I have misunderstood 'his last letter. I thoroughly-un-derstood it, and also skill what he is driving at, but vbat I iaif to understand is why *hink ß the dairy farmer here should sell ins "butter locally for less than can get for it elsewhere Is it not a fact that outside markets 'have always ruled tnel local price of produce? If we could set our potatoes to Australia, the price here would immediately go up to tho price paid for export. When wheat) /waa shipped to England years ago, the axport price ruled the local market; The price of Meat and lamb ; for local consumption is ruled jby the,price eroorting firms are paying for the meat here, so why in tihe world should butter be singled out a 9 an exception P Butter, lightly, is looked upon as anecessity, but even at the 2s, 6d per lb it has not advanced in proportion 1 to many other articles of food looked upon as necessary. For years butter was. sold at from Is to Is Gd;; also, for instance, bacon was sold at 10d per lb and now tnat prico'has more than doubled. During the history pf New Zealand wheati has been yqry dear, but "whenever it reaefked. even, 10s. per bushel, whoever suggested that enough be commandeered at a lower price to make cheap bread for our own population? The idea of suck a thing "Would be top unfair to bo entertained, I. said in my last letter, supply and deniajid to my mind are the only rogulatprs of any market. Wβ "have been told many .times during the last few years that thrift.- and care would be necessary to ntake ends meet, and--now, the time has'come, and I think that, although prices will rise a» demand increases, even "Digger" will find that, the'higher prices go tho better it will be in the long run, even for the Tvholo community. I tihink "Digger" is quite wrong when he assumes that a restriction in; the use of butter would be detrimental to the physique of the rising generation. tSomo of the biggest and most robust einen of to-day r sonsof the early settlers, were reared >vhen butter was a luxury, and bread and dripping was the rule, and if .jam were usea at a meal neither butter nor dripping was td be eaten on the bread wiflh the jam. About •logger's" remarks as to who works hardest—well, wo all think wd do tliat, buti after all, the dairyman's work in all weathers and at all hours ia not exactly easy.-r-Youre,- etc., N- C ■ September 21st.

TO THE EDITOR OP ' I TOT MIES* ♦ • Sir,—l have read with iirftcih interest the letters in 'The Press" re the increased price of butter. "Digger" mentions the necessity of butter and milk to keep up the splendid physique of the New Zealanders: Well, I presume "Digger" is a smoker, and no doubt frequently drinks whisky, cfc. Now, both tobacco and ,spirits have gone up very much in price, but I did not see any letters in "The Press" protesting at that increase. I would suggest that "Digger" and his friends givo up smoking and drinking expensive spirits, and spend the money they save on butter and milk for their children. .As "Digger" has been a farmer fie must know something about the way the women in tho country have to work. Let hiui enquire in the" towns what the majority of women do to help their husbands earn their living. I don't think ho will find many who are up before five in the morning* and work tul eight at night, seven days of tho week. Even if the farmer's wife does not have to milk she has to wash ttmllt cans and separators, etc, and prepare meals early and late for the men, but in nine cases out of. ten she has to milk as well. .1 .am sure if numbers of the people who . are protesting at the increased price of butter, realised how hard the dairy fanner's wife, as well as the farmer himself, had to-work to produce the said butWj they would bo more, considerate.—Tours, etc.. FARMER'S WIFE.