AUCKLAND BUTTER FOR EXPORT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3132, 10 July 1917, Page 6

AUCKLAND BUTTER FOR EXPORT

♦ PLEA FOR SHIPPING SPACE. By Telegraph—Press Association. V Auckland, July 0. Commenting on tho statement by 'the Prime Minister to a deputation of M.P.'s that sufficient butter would be taken away from freezing stores, especially in tho North Island, to enablo factories to resume on 'August 1, Mr. Pacey, managing director of the New Zealand Dairy Association, stated that in Auckland at present were nearly 170,000 boxes of butter in store, most of which would need to bo exported, as in a few weeks the new season's_supply would be siifScicnt for , local needs. He trusted there would be regular shipments, even though small. If 'the present Accumulation could be cleared within two months aud the industry could then be given, say, i'ight per cent, of tho freezing space on ships, reasonably satisfactory clearances would be maintained. Even six per cent, wculd do much to improve the position. The meat companies, said Mr. Pacey, pro, and liavo for a few months past, been entitled ti use 5 per cent, of their space for lutat sundries. Theso are not used for the troops and have not any military sigrificance, and surely havo not as good a claim for consideration as has the butter industry. We, of course, do rot wish to interfere with tho meat companies having the opportunity of developiug this new trade in connection with sundries; what wo ask is that the butter business should at any rate have proportionate opportunities. Wo are usually confronted with the answer that butter is not needed for the troops. Neither is lamb, a considerable quantity of which has been carried during the past season, sometimes even to the exclusion of buef and mutton. A lamb occupies approximately 2.2 cubic feet of space, , and would bo worth from 255. to 3Us. The same amount of space given to butter would represent a value of M 15s. Thus ; tho amount of loss would be very much more serious in the case of butter than in the case of lamb. In tho case of lamb there would not be a total loss if slaughtering* wore, partially suspended. Tho position in Wellington had been relieved owing ; to a clearance about the end of February, and the position in Auckland was more urgent than elsewhere, and should be given,some preference in allotments.