THE MINISTER'S REPLY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 141, 20 June 1911, Page 6

THE MINISTER'S REPLY.

NO BELIEF POSSIBLE

Mi* McKenzie, in reply, said that to his mind tin- cause of the high price of butter yva^ not- far to seek. It was almost entirely the result of the ■ dry sttmmer that the country hnd -oxperionced.. He liacl hoon • travelling a good deal through -hew Zealand and he had found the fa«■btAca closed -clmvn' a month or six veeks earti'M- thsin usual.'■ As to tho removal of the duty, he did not think

j 'the butter niaiLufactur6i;$i of ..New ! Z^land'cai^-whetli,eiCtHe duty was ! tafecn -off. 'itf^a^'p^ity'jo^^any years ago- when the .'industry iii New Ztea laiid was in its beginmng. > In those days blotter used to be; imJKiried/ biit; I more had oome in for many years' un- ! tijl': this year. As thfe deputation I kketv, Gutter did not come under,the | Trades* Act; if it did there might be i reasons: ;for the temoyal of the duty, ; but a» it did not, riothiiig oould be 'done taitil Parliain©nt met. Whetlier ,| Parliament would consider the vmat- | ter he was not in £t position to Sayj l J<>rsonaUy he would be; in favor of i.biinging- its- und^r fclie Cbmmeiici^l | Act, and puttuig it in -rthe : sfime position, as flour.V, |H<aar 3 .■liiearv).!. ■•! If' 'tSiow*!:»■■■jji. v riag^althoaigh': 'loolc-. v 1 lirig^' -^&S''3*^<^;.I»i'tfJ Big 'Mv'^lkwidpn-.h.p;'. >OU;^v;to^b^A<^^i(^;V; >;^^^^ '-. :-t}iink, :^ia;:'--m>d ; p6^'al' rbpr *;stari t &f&hsifyi\ ;'| xlitiry :- 'w^^i^ißti^^-!; ;!;':s3s#s,TStalbp': iyfdTm;;;at.','l^Tui?;cbuid r ;:!?.n^ '••! tnphghr butter: to '■■■'t^e^'i W&:--'in£rkebj. !in Wellingtorf. ■ "Thfe ■ Go^ernnieiit ! would noed to have 50,000 acres of fkmd under dairying to supply enough, buttei- to' make nxuch difference. .":: /■;;.■'■." • S^iTE VFARMS;'. .'■ „■ ,: ' , Many of- "the taxpayers in New ZealaTid thought too much money was being spent on State farms now. They were all ran as experimental stations rathe:1 than fts farms. !\Hear, liear.) If the deputation ! wished to follow the matter further they ought to consult the Minister foi Agriculture. .Tlxere seemed ,t/> be someth-ing wining somewhere w'hcii ■ the- price of New Zealand butter';, was cheaper in. London than ;in Wellington. But whether them Was a ring Oioerating or not'the ■ price locally would always., be regulated ~by the ■ tondon- price;' ' He was so/ry that he could not ( h.elp matters by remoyj i?vg'the -duty. ■■'■ '' , •;