THE PRICE OF BUTTER.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1345, 17 June 1911, Page 5

THE PRICE OF BUTTER.

—♦ —. DEPUTATION TO MR M'KOZIE

NO EVIDENCE OF A RING. My Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Jiglifc. [( Replying ta a deputation from the Wellington Trades aud Labour Oounoil yesterday, who ssked for a reduction of duty on Anstralian butter to allow it to oompete in tlio lccil market, the Acting Minister of Oustims, Hon. R, MoKenzie saiil tiie high prise of Now Zealand batter was almost entirely the result of the diy summer experienced, causing the factories to dose down earlier than usual, Ho did not think the butter manufacturers oared whether the duty wan taken off or not. Baiter did not ooiur under the Trusts Act. If it did there might be reasous for removal of the dnty, bnfc as it did not nothing could be done till Parliament met. He would 1)6 iu favour of bringing it under the Trust? Act and putting it tinder the same position as flonr. He failed to find evidence of the existence of a riug, but if it did exist it ought to be checked. Ho did not think the piopoeal to start a Stats dairy was practicable. Thera saemed to be something wrong somewhere when New Zealand butter was olieaper in London than in Wellington. Whether a ring was operating or not, the local prioes would always be regulated by the London prioe.