BUTTER AND CHEESE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3188, 12 September 1917, Page 10

BUTTER AND CHEESE

THE PURCHASE ARRANGEMENTS ' . ■ PRICES STILL IN DOUBT : , Tho delay in the completion of arrangements for th® purchase of this season's .butter and cheese was mentioned in. tlio .House of Representatives yesterday, ilr. :A/ S. Malcolm (Clutha) said that 'tlio dairying season ~wa6 commencing, and the dairying companies were very anxious to know what arrangements the Government proposed "to make for tmrchaso on behalf ot the Imperial authorities. It was difficult for them to make their , financial arrangements at the present • ' .time. . , ■ -The Prime Minister said that tlio Government was using alt jiossiblo expedition, to bring the negotiations, which . nero now proceeding, to a satisfactoiy conclusion.. Tlio imperial authorities wero' somewhat slow to move. They 'had a- very awkward position, to faco owing .to-the shortage of shipping, and required. • to study the situation, carefully before firing a definite decision- If iic did not rcceivo a .reply within a day or two ht> : would send another cablegram reminding the ImperiaL authorities that the dairying; season had commenced and that the butter-producers were anxious to know .their position. The arrangement of last season with regard to cheese was standing.' The Imperial Board of Trade was taking over the cheese. Tho price, re- • quired to bo settled, but in the meantime production would proceed as usual. . . Mr. G. J. Anderson (Alataura) said he had received a telegram drawing attention to the difficulties of chceso lactones in-his. own district. The factories could not -make their arrangements with tlio 'producers until they knew what the price would bev .

Mr. Massey said there was no real difficulty as far as the cheese factories ,wero concerned. The Imperial author!-, ties - would ' take tho sam-e amount of, cheese as last year. That was-beyond all question. The price would not bo less than tho prico paid Inst season, and the' arrangements in: regard to. advance ■would be the same. Producers would •be able to draw 30 per cent, of the value of .cheese delivered in store, "he wholD. position, might lie 'settled at any time hy'a cablegram from London.