SCARCITY OF BUTTER.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 173, 8 July 1919, Page 2

SCARCITY OF BUTTER.

SIX WEEKS’ SUPPLY"

NEED FOR ECONOMY.

A statement in Dunedin that there is a shortage of butter is backed up by figures. On the 15th of June there were about 52,000 boxes of butter in the cool stores or the Dominion, plus about 12,000 boxes of second grade and whey butter. The consumption of butter in the Dominion is at the rate of about 800 tons per (nonth (4p boxes to the ton), which means that in the middle of June we had in New Zealand as nearly as possible two months’ supply, and -it may be estimated that to-aay the stock amounts to six weeks’ supply. The only chance of eking it out is by consumers practising _ the strictest economy. An early spring would be a great blessing. Commenting on the position at Auckland Mr. H. W. Dent, acting-manager of the New Zealand Dairy Association, said that there was undoubtedly a shortage of first-grade butter on the Dominion market. This had been caused through the recent unfortunate drought. Estimates which were made in March were thus entirely upset, and the butter made for local consumption proved to be much below the estimate. By- careful calculation on the new_ basis the New Zealand Dairy Association hope to be able to fill the requirements of their clients reasonably, but they feared that until the new season’s make was available in sufficient quantity that the position would be a little difficult. Replying to the statement that there was only six weeks’ supply in the Dominion, Mr. Dent stated that if ihis j referred to first-grade butter the short-i age does not appear so acute as has been reported.