HOPE EXCEEDED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 57, 4 September 1937, Page 10

HOPE EXCEEDED

DAIRY PRODUCE PRICES

(Special to the "Evening Post.")

MASTERTON, This Day.

"In deciding to pay those prices;the Government must either have something up its sleeved that we are not aware of, or else it is assured of a much more stabilised market this season," said Mr. J. C. Ewington, chairman of directors, when commenting at yesterday's meeting of the Masterton Dairy Company on the guaranteed prices for butter and, cheese. He had anticipated an increase of a £d a lb on last year's price, but actually, the Government was paying 11-16 d per. lb more this season for finest.

He thought the cheese differential of 2d per pound was fully justified. The butter price was quite satisfactory, but with a declared deficit last season of £650,000 it would be unfortunate if there was another big shortage to. be made good at the end of, the season. He appreciated Mr. Nash's remarks that a reasonable amount should be contributed from the General Fund, as there was no industry more deserving of support than dairying. . The labour used in the dairying industry was con T siderable. A big proportion of the 970 farmers supplying the Masterton factory were in a very small way, and only a few of them depended entirely upon dairying for a living. As a result they were not greatly affected by the guaranteed price. The Mortgagors' Belief Commission, by revaluing farm lands, was also removing hardships and making things easier for the dairy farmer.