HOSTILE DUTY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1927, Page 11

HOSTILE DUTY

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER IN AUSTRALIA.

Austiahan dairy farmers are determined tariff* ,' at 'I P»MiWe--tlir6ngh= the tanlt to make sale of New Zealand -butterI" t, le .Commonwealth impracticable "' The Victorian farmers, through the council of then- Co-operative Butter and Cheese Factories Association, recently fully considered correspondence from the Primary P -oZc ovs' Union of New South Wales regarding the importation c-f butter from Xot Zealand to the defe-iment o£ Australian producers, and also .1 resolution passed by a representative meeting of producers in that State, as follows: "That it is im■perative that the duty on New Zealand butter be increased to Cd a lb, and to 6d n.Jb on cheese, with a' corrteiohdiiig increase under the general tariff'" • it was reported that arrangements were being made for a deputation to the Prime Minister (Mr. Bruce). It was decided to support the application for a duty, of Cd a lb on New Zealand butter It was also reported that a shipment of 3154 cases ? t New Zealand butter, h»d arrived m Melbourne consigned to-various my linns. ±h Q members, considered that tins importation was unnecessary, iv view oi the iact that there was a substantial surplus ot choicest butter iv all States It was resolved to direct the attention of the Minister tor Markets (Mr. Paterson) 10 this importation, showing the .necessity for protecting the, dairy, farmers against competition from other countries . The .shipment icferred,to.was by the Moeraki' mere was much speculation as to the date on which' the sale had been effected and tlio price paid in New Zealand. It was generally tlrought that this butter was a portion of the large order placed in- New Zealand in December, when drought conditions in New South Wales and Queensoi in Australia. It is understood that the pieyioiiß purchases were made about" Is ' 4kcl a lb which would make the' landed cost about Is 7d a lb. If'the shipment rehn'ir n W'lS bo"gh,t forwa«' o» this basis tlio Melbourne purchasers will have a very small margin on which to operate Melbourne merchants do not think that this M pneiit is the forerunner of heavy ur»als from 5STew Zealand, an the seeking "t supplies from, outside sources k dbes not appear to be warranted under, present conditions when large . surplus stocks of Aiistrnlmn butter are available in New .South Wales and Queensland '