DEAR BUTTER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 125, 19 February 1908, Page 7

DEAR BUTTER.

ANOTHER RISE OF A PENNY. ; ' NOW Is. 4d PER LB RETAIL—2s IN ' WINTER. : PLIGHT OF THE SMALL FACTORIES. ■ The: cost of living has been nioro or less of a problem to >; quite a number, of people in Wollingtori during recent \'years, but ■, there are .. indications;, that wo: have, not by V any ,means: reached the limit, and something like hard times will bo experienced by_ a section of the community during tlio coming winter. The continued-drought—t\vo months of rain--, .less :,w;eather, ;.a, drqught,. in .;New Zealand—will lie a serious factor in bringing about this'state 1 of things, for oven if 'the,'rain' camo now':' it: would' be too lato to mako thb: recovery that would bring things ■ back to ,t-ho normal. , The. price of-.butter, went up another Id. per lb. on. Monday, making tlio' retail : price of - factory butter Is. 4d. -por lb. and the /wholesalers.' 2Jd.. per lb., which ■; means that there has been.*-rise of,2d. per.lb. .during; the past, fortnight. During the same period; dairy butter has leapt from 9d. arid 'per 'lb. to'.the. :Is. o|d. now ■ obtaining, and the end of the' rise is not-jet. - ■ -Speaking to. ;a ,member. of.; a firm which handles very. quantities of butter,daily,. a DoMiNloN'roportei' was informed that it was only too probablo'tliat'people would be.pay'ing,2s.'per lb; this coming wintor for butter.' ; "Evcn-if the rain conies now ?" asked the reporter. '• Yes, oven if it comes now. Owing to the absence of rain for so long in this district the ;cows- are drying up, and even if it : poiired for a wodk -it is too lato for them to recover.' ;•. ' i;' I ,'""'' '

" There are lots of small factories up tlio Ico'iiritry.-which'- are • having the utmost' 'diffi-' ciilty in supplying 'contract; orders,: whereas 'at' this, time of- tho year thoy ought to bo jdoirig;;that,;"i»nd putting large ' quantities 'away'in the freezer.", -i": " And, if /tilings gdt .so. b'ad that they- can;not; fulfil; their .contracts ?!' ■' " Theii thoy, will; have to pay. . Supposing' I had 'a contract with you to supply a hundred boxes of butter a week at 10d., and I conld ; only 'give,. you fifty; you . could sue : me at Court and. recover tho profits, you would liavo -made had tho contract order' been supplied."- ', : ,! ;' ''Then-it is a very serious outlook for the small factories ?" "Yes, protj;y serioii!;. Of ; coiivßo,-I don't say that some people ; wbiild not take into con-' sidoration. the 'extraordinary circumstances brought about by the brought, but that is the legal position regarding, butter contracts."