BUTTER AND CHEESE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 207, 2 August 1941, Page 8

BUTTER AND CHEESE

COST OF CHANGE-OVER. The cost devolving upon suppliers who were changing over from butter to cheese in eomplianeo with the Government’s request was referred to by Mr C. E. C. Webb at the annual meeting of the Levin Co-operative Dairy Company, this week, lie said that the Government was providing a subsidy of £2O as a reimbursement for the costs incurred, but the amount provided was only a fraction of tho cost to which suppliers would be subjected. He claimed that it was only' just that the incidental costs of the change-over should be born by everyone. lie moved that tho j Government be asked to contribute the ; necessary cost for suppliers transferring to j cheese by cream supplier*. In seconding tlie motion, pro forma, Mr IG. Vincent asked the meeting to note the fact that the subsidy- of £2O was being paid on the suggestion of the Dairy Board. The directors of the Levin factory had already forwarded a request to the authorities for a more equitable payment, as it was inevitable that under the present arrangement of a flat subsidy, some suppliers would be receiving a disproportionate reimbursement for their outlay. In view of such a position, the more equitable payment would bo on a butterfat or cow basis. Mr G. J. Wilde (Opiki) pointed out that a subsidy of £2O for 1910 was not actually equivalent to a« similar amount in 1941, and he claimed it was only fair that the basis should be at least increased pro rata to .the increase in costs. ! Mr D. Lynch (Linton) said that there iwas much in the motion to gain commendation for it, but lie desired to point out that the Government in the final resort represented the people, and he questioned whether the placing of the cost on the people generally was a just one. He raised the point as to whom the cans, etc.. 1 would belong when suppliers involved m 'the change-over to cheese reverted to supplying cream for butter. Mr A. J. Gimblett said the meeting | should lie careful in the action it took. I While lie claimed full sympathy with tho j farmers who were being called upon to bear financial responsibility- as a result of the changing over from butter to cheese, he personally felt that the request for tho Icost to be borne by tho Government should be reserved until the time of reversion again to butter, and on the basis of the loss incurred over the whole period. He moved, as an amendment, “that the farniers’s cost incurred in tho change-over to cheese supply from cream be based on 'the j same conditions pertaining to the dairy j factory change-over.” The amendment was carried by 32 votes |to 10.