MARGARINE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16961, 9 October 1920, Page 9

MARGARINE.

•ro THE KDITOU OF "THE TRESS." Sir,—l hare read with considerable interest the leading article in yonr issue of to-day, in which tho manufacture, of margarine is advocated in order to moot the demands of those people \vi]io cannot afford to pay tho vorv high price of huttor. Ix?t mo say at onco that I am otic ot thoso who consider that tliero is no reason why such a product as butter should bo excessively expensive to the people of iSew Zealand for tho reason i'hat a- high price is obtainable in other parts of tho -world. Butter is one ot' tho primary products of this country, and everybody knows it. could bo sold for a very much lower figure than tho present price and still show a handsome profit to the producer. I i>elievc i.hat 00 per cent, of tho butter produced in S'ew Zealand is oxported, and the remaining 40 per cent, is consumed within the I>ominion. Tlio proper remedy for tho present local fltsh price is an export tax, which would bring in sufficient money to reimburse the producer tho diflerenco between a reasonable price to tho public and tho excessive price now charged. For tho sake of argument, suppose the recent rise to 'have t>con Is per lb, Mi export tax should l>e levied on all butter exported sufficient to produce a sum -which could bo passed on to the producers who have* sold their butter locally at tho old price, and would compensate! them to the full extent of the difference between tJlio local price and the price obtained for the butter exported. Tho Government's threat to close down the State mines has, so far, failed to produco a strike, which, had it eventuated, would no doubt havo had public opinion entirely against it. Tlu rise in tlhe price of butter is exceedingly likely to provoke a strike of waterside workers, who will refuse to handle tho butter for export at the increased priccs. Such a strike as this would undoubtedly have public opinion behind it. It behoves the Government to make some effort to deal with tliis Question in a statesmanlike manner. There is no reason why butter should cost the householder more than la lOd per lb, and if sufficient of an export tax were imposed, tho difficulty could quite easily bo overcome. Tho _ result would be that an excellent price would bo obtained all round, and all butter producers would bo satisfied, with tho exception of the very greedy ones, w'ho need not bo considered. I, for one, seo no reason why the poor, or even the moderately poor, people of this country should bo t'orccd to consume margarine or any other substitute for butter when plenty of the latter product is > available, nnd I Ten'two to say the people of. this country will not stand it while_suc<h. a simple remedy is available. —Yours, etc., MODERATELY POOR MAN. Chris October Btli. P.(9.—Of course the Board of Trade would have to investigate tho question of profit 3 accruing on butter and make their recommendation before the abovo suggestion could be carried out. They aro busily interfering with many less important local manufactures, on w*hich a great deal less proGt is being made.