MIXED BLESSINGS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 2, 3 July 1922, Page 6

MIXED BLESSINGS

The fact that the Government Statistician's index number (for the three food groups) was twelve points higher on 15th May than in the. preceding month throws some light on what the winter struggle means to many people. The greatest increase is in the dairy products group. At the same time it has to be remembered that the, increase in the price of butter does New Zealand much more good than harm, because New Zealand sells so much .more than she consumes, and because a large portion of butter profits, must ultimately be transformed into wages, so that even the consumer section \yill benefit—after the winter, is ever 1 Pear butter

thus carries with it both advantages (deferred) • and disadvan-

tages, so far as the public generally is concerned; and, so far as the fanner himself is concerned, the price again becomes double-edged, because of its relation to margarine production. When butter fell, margarine was reported " almost unsaleable" ; conversely, the rjse in butter becomes "a God-send to the margarine manufacturers.'1 On the whole, butter prices have worked out not badly for> the New Zealand farmer, and have established a margin pf safety from whiph the cpns,umer will ultimately benefit. But ultimate benefit does not remove present hardship, and there naver was a time of greater need for mutual tolerance and sympathy as between the country and the town populations.