DR. H. THACKER'S CRITICISM

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 108, 3 November 1923, Page 8

DR. H. THACKER'S CRITICISM

STATEMENT BEGARDING BUTTER.

(FROSI- OUR OWN CORRESPOHDBNT^

... LONDON, 13th September. It was perhaps a little unfortunate that Dr. ' Henry .Thacker's criticism of the marketing, of New Zealand produce, which appeared in a Torquay paper last week,, should have gained the 1 publicity which the "Daily Mail'. 1 is able to give. A'i full report of the interview was sent by last .week's mail. In. the meantime, the "Daily Mail"' has an abridged edition of Dr. .Thacker's statement. Amongst other things it is mentioned that he is in Britain studying trade conditions as between the Dominions and -the Mother Country: • ''•;'... "We can get things 60 per/ cent cheaper from outsiders than from th» Mother Country," the "Daily. Mail" rf>ports Dr. Thacker as saying. "A good German axe can be obtained at 3s 6d, .while an English axe of equal quality costs 10s 6d.- Some people in England can afford to buy home-bred meat and home-made butter, but. there are mil lions who cannot, and they should b<> getting New Zealand products. People are having' Argentine lamb, foisted upon them as Canterbury lamb, and the lattsr is being sold as British meat.". A largo quantity of New Zealand. butter comes into this country.in bulk; but is nearly all used to mix. with margarine. People ought to be able to. get it in small .quantities, as well, as. New Zealand poultry, eggs, and cheese .instead of relying upon foreign countries." ' LETTER FROM'MR: A. J. MILLS., Mr. A "Mills, of Messrs. A. J. Mills, and Lo., Tooley street, writes to the 'Daily Mail"-on the subject. "If Dr. Thacker is basing his comments on what he has seen- in this country durli g t^;} ast two or three months," says Mr. Mi 115,.... I would: like particularly to point-out to him the fact that New Zealand butter arrives in.quantity here from December to June,-, and during the months of July'to November only limited supplies are available. From December to June 80. to 90 per cent of the retail shops in this country sell New Zealand buter, and it is also a fact that dunng the last few years retailers have pushed,?, ew Zealand butter-, and that its reputation with the. consumer has been enhanced to a very, marked extent. "Pr- Thacker is absolutely incorrect m stating that the large " quantity of - New Zealand butter that comes into this country is nearly ali used to mix with margarine.. . Fully 70 to 80 per cent of the margarine sold in this country has no butter at all in its composition The consumer is fairly wideawake in getting value for money, and, I am .inclined to tank that when. Dr. Thacker criticises the retail trade...and states that they foist Argentine lamb on,their customer^ as New Zealand-Canterbury lamb the case must be a.very exceptional one"