BUTTER.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 28 August 1917, Page 5

BUTTER.

THE COST OF PRODUCTION

A NEGLECTED POINT.

(From Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 26. In all the controversy over the high price of butter, the cost of production, wltich is also high, seems to be neglected. The member for Egmont (Mr Wilkinson) has endeavored to educate the House on this point, and proposes to give evidence before the Cost of Living Committee, which will no doubt investigate the price of butter in the local market. Mr Wilkinson is arranging to get expert evidence from the National Dairy Association. In order to bring the question before the House in definite and official fashion, he has moved to have the following return presented: (1) The total number of cows milked in the Dominion for the supply of milk or cream to butter and cheese factories; (2) the average yield of butter-fat per cow, and its average value per pound, after allowing the cost of manufacture into cheese and butter, during the years ending June 30, 1915, 1916, and 1917, each year to be shown separately; (3) the capital cost of running each cow —this to include the value- of land, cost of feeding, and wages; (4) the net profit or loss per pound of butter-fat produced; and (5) the relative value of butter-fat per pound as compared with cheese and butter.