BUTTER PROBLEM.

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 September 1917, Page 3

BUTTER PROBLEM.

PRODUCERS GROWING ANXIOUS. IBy Electric Telegraph—Special to "Star.";

WELLINGTON, This Day. The Prime Minister was again questioned last night as to the position regarding the marketing of New Zealand butter. j Mr. Young, in asking for information pointed out (hat the producers were in an awkward situation, as the season was advancing and the difficul «

ties were likely to arise if some early decision were not reached. The Premier declared that he had no further information than what bo gave out last week. On Saturday Tie had sent another cable to the Imperial authorities urging the earliest possible decision. He reminded members of the recent important changes m (he Food Controller's' Department in Britain. This Department had bought the Australian butter output for the present season, and had ac- ? quired the whole cold storage in Rri- L tain. » Mr. Wilford : What is, the reason « for the statement in the London " Times that (hey canSmt control our prices? v Mr. Massey replied that thev could b control prices in Britain and although >'

they could not control prices in New J 1 Zealand, our prices were largely con- „ trolled by the prices in Britain. (l "1 know perfectly well what- is go- f ) ing on here," added the Premier. '"1 w would just like to say that Urn Go- li vernmeiit are doing their xory best n io settle (his matter in the interests of the producers! and not in the inter- rjesi.s of speculators. A s soon as ever t j shipping appeals to be a. little bit scarce a scare is promoted among the « producers, with the result that cer- pl tain people buy butter at a very cheap rate. Now, 1 am not going to n

lend myself or the Government to c j anything of that sort." (Hear, hear.) o The Premier went on to express the P opinion that something might have " to be done to regulate butter in the j interests of the producers! and the consumers in the country. (Hear, o hoar.) ' ':