DAIRY PRODUCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 August 1920, Page 6

DAIRY PRODUCE

export:: .ts 1 diffj oulties

DEMAND FOB FREE MARKET

(Special Correspondent.)

HAWERA, August 9

The butter position is creating considerable anxiety among producers and it seems fairly clear that, if the commandeer is insisted upon again, butter factories will be put to cheese making, in order to reap the benefits of the open market. That fact was emphasised at a meet

»g of producers, held at Inglewood One delegate affirmed that there were now only 14 factories making butter in Taranaki, and it would not be long before that number was reduced.

In reply to a question, Mr.. Arthur Morton, chairman of the National Dairy Association informed the meetIn* that if the producers did not sell <o ths Imperial Government they were not compelled to send their produce to England. They would send it where ver thvy could get a market. They had not lost sight of the possibility of an American market, and even in the wont of a sale to the Imperial Government, ih=y would endeavour to reserve a portion of the output in the interests o? the producer. "He pointed out that there had been a difficulty in supply-

' the American market, as America would not permit uie importation of butter which contained a trace of pre cervative, and, as with home-separated cream it was almost impossible to keep out preservative, they had had to export to America, via Canada, to which country the regulation did not apily.

Mr. Morton further said that he un- , derstood that the British Government had purchased a considerable quantity of Danish butte: at, 245/-, but t-l« s price would nut be taken as the actual value, because there was another 7 - con eideration, namely, that the/Britis'i Government suplies the Danes witii a quantity of coal, and, no 'doubt, the Danish Government would make up theg, added value to the producer. A fortnight ago, he said, the Domin ion Butter Oomm.ttjee had been called together to consider a suggestion of the British Food 'Controller to purchase at 240/-. They had no instructions to negotiate for a pjdee for their produce but to press for a free market, and they therefore felt that they could not. negotiate on a' pr.es basis, and if t.iat was unobtainable they would have .to fo back to 'the producers and ascertain their wishes.

They had, he said, been able ti get the Prime Minister to send a cable 1o the Food Controller, putting before hii\ the views of the producers, particular!) in regard to a free Tsarket. O-e speaker said the Auckland people had taken up the attitude that, no matter what anyone else d'd, they would not sell to th« Jmperia 1 G-o"°rn ment. . The chairman said thei'e was no f liestidh- but that, w : th a free market, butter would pay out a better price than cheese, but as lonw as they wer Q .controlled they would always be placed in an unfair position as compared with cheese-producers. A motion was carrien, in favqu - " if ui'thcr urging a free marker