BUTTER BREACH DENIED

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32701, 2 September 1971, Page 2

BUTTER BREACH DENIED

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 1. : The New Zealand Dairy Board today expressed surprise and concern about comments of the Prime Minister of Fiji (Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara) on the recent increase in the price of New Zealand butter inj Fiji. The Prime Minister said that he considered the in-; crease breached a butter agreement between two countries, and said his Government would not be prepared to continue buying New Zealand- butter under such terms. He also indicated that there had been no consultation with the Fiji Government by the New Zealand Dairy Board before the increase, and said it appeared the board wanted Fiji to commit itself to con-1 tinue to buy its butter from New Zealand, while the board remained free to alter the price as it wished. A spokesman for the Dairy Board said today that the action had been taken in the light of world increases in the price of butter and in consultation with the Fiji Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Co-operatives. “There is obviously some misunderstanding in the mind of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, and the board is in touch with the Ministry in an endeavour to clarify the issue,” the spokesman said.