PRICE OF BUTTER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 10060, 3 May 1915, Page 5

PRICE OF BUTTER.

RESTRICTION OF EXPORTS. GOVERNMENT TAKES ACTION. Steps are to be taken by the Government at once to prevent the indiscriminate export of butter from New Zealand, while it is threatened that enough butter may not be obtainable for our own needs.

"It has come to the knowledge of the Government," said the Prime Minister to a reporter on Saturday, "that butter which is I>eing exported from New Zealand to the Commonwealth is being used by Australian merchant* to fulfil contracts made with Java and other places, and the Government is issuing a proclamation immediately providing that in future butter may be exported from New Zealand only with the consent of the Minister of" Customs. This will prevent such transactions as I have referred t<i being carried on at a time ol scarcity like this.

"I am advised that the supply of butter in sight in the Dominion is lower than usual, but if it were not lor the shortage in Australia the position would not be acute. The. production of butter in the south is being reduced by the cold weather having set in rather earlv this year, but in Taranaki and Auckland I believe that good results are being obtained. Information I have from

the Agricultural Department is to the effect that a number of 6mall farmers, instead of following the usual practice of allowing their dairy cows to go dry during the cold months, intend to make butter right through the winter. Supplies from this source, if they prove ti be considerable, should relieve the shortage now anticipated in the winter months.