AUSTRALIAN BUTTER.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20415, 9 December 1931, Page 12

AUSTRALIAN BUTTER.

NEW COMPANY TO BE FORMED. POLICY OF OVERSEA MARKETING. I , BETTER PRICES FOR PRODUCERS i lUHITID rsess associatioh—B* IJ.ICTR.IC TBLBGKAPH—COrIBIGHT.) (Received December Bth, 10.50 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 8. Representatives of the co-operative | and proprietary butter interests in allparts of Australia to-day decided to form a company for the marketing of Australian butter abroad, and also making it better known, thus, ensuring better prices for the producers. The company will have a capital of : £50,000 divided into ten thousand shares of £5 ; each, with power to increase or reduce, the capital. The company will be na:med the Australian Dairy Products, Limited. Speakers complained that upwards of 50 per cent, of the Australian butter now marketed in the . United Kingdom fell into the hands of blenders and lost' its identity. The object of . the; company, it was explained, was to make sure .that a larger quantity of Australian butter reached the consumer direct as Australian and thus create an ; increased demand and a more substantial goodwill. The blenders. might not. like the innovation, but they would not run vthe risk of running cbuntcr to . Austrlaian interests. , The company, it was argued, could also deal more largely in pat butter, using a uniform brand for all the! States. A • committee has been formed to give effect to the decision of the conference. RETAIL PRICES. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. The index number for the three food, groups as at October 15th, 1931, on the base, average prices during the years 1926-30 equal 1000, is 839—a decrease of 16.1 per cent, as compared with the average of prices ruling during the base period. An increase of 22 points is recorded since the previous month, and a decrease of 112 points, or 11.3 per cent., as compared, with the corresponding month of last year. The index number for the groceries .group- has increased 'by 76 points, as compared with the figure for the previous month. The price of sugar has increased, considerably in all towns covered by the retail prices statistics, while the normal seasonal increase in potato prices consequent on .the introduction of the first-of the new season ? s crop has had au upward influence on the. index number for, this group. The increase in 'Sugar prices is, however, the major!cause Contributing to the upward movement of the index number. ' The groceries-index for October, 1931.' (908), is still, hqwe.ver, 14 points, or 1.5 per cent.,. lower than that recorded-in October, 1930 (922). Dairy produce and irieat. prices have; remained practically, stationary since. September; decreases of 3' points - (in dairy produce) and 2 points (in jneabV being recorded since that month.. The, October index for these groups arfe 750 and 848 respectively (on the base, .average prices ruling during 19261930 equal 1000).. Expenditure' on food " constitutes p.pproxinta,t'ely three-tenths of the cxpendi- ; ture of an average household. In order; to present a mpre .complete picture of the movement in retail prices generally,' statistics regarding "retail prices of; clothing,' drapery and footwear and: of: miscellaneous items, are collected at. quarterly* intervals/ while Wturns of; house tents; are obtained twice a yeai.v The August rent, clothing an<i : drapery, footwear and, miscellaneous indexes combined with the October food and fuel and light index numbers gives an all-groups index number of 898—a decrease of 10.2 per cent, as compared with the average of prices ruling in 1926 to 1930, and an increase of 43,0 per cent, over July, 1914, prices. MANAWATU SPRING SHOW. A PROFIT OF £207. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) PALMEHSTOJT N., December 8. A statement submitted to a meeting of the committee of the Manawatu Agricultural and Pastoral Association : showed that notwithstanding the econi omie conditions there was a balance on , the recent Spring Show of £207. Entry feos increased by £2O. It was decided to write to the Eoyal Agricultural Society stating that in the event of it agreeing to locate the Royal Show at Palmerston North andChristchurch alternately the Manawatu Association was prepared to go to the expense of erecting additional permanent accommodation. IMPORTED EGGS. BRITISH MARKING ORDER. JUSITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —BT eudTRIC TIMSOBAPH—COryaiOHT.) LONDON, December 7. In the House of Commons Sir John Gilmour (Minister for Agriculture) replying to a question suggesting that South African and Australian eggs were selling as new laid pointed out that the country of "origin had to be marked on all imported eggs, enabling the consumer to decide whether they could be deseribablc as new laid. EGG SALE. Messrs Harris Bros-., Limited, report that the usual weekly sale of "Eeather Brand" guaranteed new laid eggs was held yesterday afternoQn. The prices realised were:—Hen eggs, Ist grade (2p.as .or over), lid; hen egc*. 2nd grade (under 2oz), lOd. —6