BUTTER PURCHASE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 55, 29 November 1918, Page 5

BUTTER PURCHASE

The announcement from London that tho arrangement for tho purc'haso of New Zealand's butter at 181s. per cwt. has beon completed is not fully confirmed locally. Tho authorities hero have received a similar message, but one ior two very important points have not been sottled finally. Tho prices to be paid aio those originally offered- by tho Imperial authorities, viz., 10? d. per lb. for cheese and 181s. per ewt. for butter. The prices are f.o.b. in both cases. It is understood that the Imperial authorities will pay storago after two mouths. Tho prices to bo paid are final; that is, the producers will not receive any share of profits mado by tho Imperial Government in tho distribution of the produce in the United Kingdom.

7 Last year tho Imporial Government paid lOd. per lb. for cheese and 15ls. per ewt. for butter, with lialf of tho profits made on distribution in the United Kingdom. This year they offered tho producers 103 d. per lb. for cheeso ami ISls. per ewt. for butter. The cheeso producers had demanded this price on the ground that it was already being paid to tho Canadian producers, ami when their representatives met tho Primo 'Minister some weeks ago the cKfcr was accepted. But tho butler producers asked for 3965. per ewt., on the ground that this price was (lie equivalent of tOJd. per lb. for cheese on a bultcr-fat basis. The Prime .Minister had some communication with tho Imperial authorities on the subject, but the Food Controller would not advanco tho price, hTkI tho representatives of tho producers decided recently to accept it. The Department of Imperial Supplies will bo ablo now to finance tho purchase of dairy produce on the old conditions, and ih'cre will bo no further difficulty regarding tho payment of advances on butler and cheese in the stores.