CHEESE CRATES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 1 April 1927, Page 5

CHEESE CRATES

A TIMBER PROBLEM.

OVERSEAS COBIPETITION. PRODUCERS AND MAKERS CONFER. BY TELEGRAPH - SPECIAL TO THE STAR. WELLINGTON, March 31. An important conference of dairying and sawmi'ilang 'interests has taken place here, with the object of securing, if possible, a reduction in the price of cheese crates. The Hon. A. D. McLeod, in his capacity a® Minister in charge of the Trade and Commerce Department, presided, and those present included Mir H. G. Dickie, member for Paten, who was chiefiv instrumental in the calling of the conference ; the secretary of the Sawmillers’ Federation; Mr Ellis, chief of the Forestry Department; Mr Singeton. head of the Dairying Division of the Department of Agriculture; representatives of the Railway Department, and box-making firms. It wa« stated that New Zealand tim-ber-millers are losing the trade owing to high prices, and that both Sweden and Canada are severe competitors in this extensive business, their favourable margin at the lowest computation being 3d to 4d per crate. It was suggested to the timber-millers and boxinakers that it might be possible to bridge this gap in price with the aid of the Railway Department, which was asked to revert to -pre-war freight plus 47 per cent, on crate timber., and to give the lowest rate to factories which do not ire-rail their produce. The Railway Department lias under taken to investigate the possibility of reduced freights, and other interests concerned will consider their part in the scheme of bringing about a reduction in costs. Those who attended the conference are of the opinion that the round-table talk between all interests will result in a great advantage to the dairying industry.