THE BUTTER MARKET.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1196, 3 August 1911, Page 8

THE BUTTER MARKET.

LOCAL V. LO.XDOX TRICES. MOKE AVIXTEII DAIKYiXG KEUKSSAIjy. Speaking yesterday in reference to tho local butter market, Mr. J. O. Harknc«s secretary of tho Aatinnal Dairy -Vs-oci-'i-tiwi, said he had noticed in "the press letters from private individuals com-1 menting on the price of butter in Weiling on, as compared with tho quotation ol tho .New Zealand-made produce on the Loudon market. .Some of the writers had gone so far as to advocate that the Government should control the business by tho imposition of an export duty, and others assigned various reasons, but most of those, who had remarked on the position knew little or nothing about the situation. In comparing London price l -- to-day with New Zoahmd prices one had to remember that in the Northern Hemisphere at present it was midsummer, and they were in the flush of their output. We in New Zealand were in the middle of winter, and our supplies were at a minimum again, the complainants overlooked the fact that no butter had been exported lo the English market since April 27, when the steamer Jiiianch.li took away tSOO boxes. The whole question to-day, said Mr. JJnrkness, was a question of supply and demand. For example, if (he Donijnion required 20(10 boxes weekly, and we only had 1000 to meet tin. l demand, it must be reasonably admitted that the persons who had the 1081) boxes would get more money for Hienf'. The present position had "been brought about by the climatic conditions of tho autumn. During May and .Tune large quantities of butter were made in New Zealand, which output went lo meet the demand, lor June, .luly. and August, and on July til we had 12,0011 boxes less in 'lie iieoicrs than we had for the corresponding" period of Hie previous year. The. onlv remedy for the prestnf Jiosition said Mr, "Uaiknesi .was jvinter

dairying on a much larger scale than had over been attempted in New Zealand before. Outlook 'Exceptionally Good. So far us can be judged at present Mr. Harkncss considers that the outlook for dairy produce foe the coming season is exceptionally good, T'rom information he was able lo gather in Loudon, previous to leaving therein .Hay, there was every indication that butter* would be a good price, although cheese might not be quite so high as last year. .Much depended on the value of cheese in the I'nited .Kingdom and Canada, which countries practically fixed the price of-ihiw commodity. -As far. as one could judge at present, very little business was being done with reference lo the New Zealand buller outputs for the coming season, but ho had heard that some fairly substantial offers (tfljd. to lid,) had been made for spot cash.