DAIRY PRODUCE PURCHASE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 48, 20 November 1917, Page 6

DAIRY PRODUCE PURCHASE

ARRANGEMENTS WITH IMPERIAL AUTHORITIES

PROVISION OF SHIPPING

SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER

By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, November 19. "Tho statement lias been made that arrangements for the sale of the dairy produce of the Dominion have been very protracted," said the Primo Minister in a speech at Tuakau. "The prices have now been fixed, and most of the, conditions arranged with the Imperial authorities, and the prices are slightly better than most people imagine. I am just in reccipt of important ndvico from the Imperial Government about t)io_ matter, and the prices and the conditions will be announced by me in Wellington to representatives of tlio Ministry when I return. The responsibility will be placed upon the Imperial Government to see that sufficient shipm'tg _is provided to take the produce to Britain. Olll' representative at Home, backed up by our own representations, was unable to induce the Food Controller _to make a short advance on the supplies of butter and cheese .going into store this month. After a certain amount of diffcnlty—beit v.'as tmPv not provided for by Parliament —the Finance Minister and myself have been able to make arrangements for an advance "of •£•! a crate- on cheese and .£3 n box on butter from Government funds for this month to finable the dairv, eompanies to mert l''eir obligations. Tt is nracticallv certain that withl-i the next few dny« the wMe of the details will be settled, and bv next month the Imoerinl Government will nnve tnVen over ne''t of t'>e reduce. fov"-l" n ' the money will be immediately a.vauable.