BUTTER STILL DEARER.

Northern Advocate, 21 April 1915, Page 6

BUTTER STILL DEARER.

FURTHER ADVANCE TO-DAY

AUSTRALIAN SHORTAGE,

STRONG DEMAND REPORTED.

A further advance in the wholesale

price of standard brands of butter has been made in Auckland, the rate having been raised by the Dairy Produce Committee from 13*4 d, last Wednesday's price to Is 4d per lb. The retail price will be increased from Is 5d to Is 6d per lb, for only Id of the recent advance of l%d in the wholesale price was passed on to the local consumers. , The rising tendency of local values is .due to the demand for supplies by Victorian merchants. Their first purchases a week ago set a standard of Is 3d per lb. as the value of• local stock's, and as the consignments by the Maheno yesterday, amounted to about 1700 boxes, represented purchases on the basis of Is 3%d f.Q.b. there has again been a spmpathetic advance in values, ilercbarits stated yesterday that even this'increase does not malte their price equivalent to the export value, and draw attention to the fact that in' Wellington- Where the retail price advanced to Is 6d on Friday, the wholesale price is Is 4V4d. tfhey consider ;tnat the local consumer is still at an advantage compared with the buyer for

export. / ,'•■'■ Advices received by mail yesterday indicate that the demand from Australia eia likely to continue 7 during the next two or three months Cand, judging 'by' the /nature of the inquiries for sup- ' Plies, merchants believe that the demand will be strong. The position at present; is that while, there is a surplus, pf stocks in Queensland and New South /Wales, there is a real shortage in the pother States. Ten days agp, : the wholesale price in Sydney was fixed at 124s per cwt, but as the price in Melbourne was 150s, large quantities of butter were being shipped jihto Victoria, and the retail shops in '.Sydney 1 were unable to meet, more than '•Ji'Alf'the requirements of. their customers. Although the stocks in storage in the Dominion are apparently 'normal; it is anticipated that there emit' presently be an actual shortage of >a9,'much as 25 per cent. With this Condition in- prospect, .manufacturers hr/i disinclined to. open business with the Melbourne houses, but the indications jaro that the export value will continue to advance until.it becomes a convincing inducement to complete transactions. It was reported yesterday that inquiries for supplies had , been received from another source, and that Is 3% d,was suggested as a basis: for business. Victorian merchants to be of securing a temporary suspension of the duty! of 3d per lb on imported butter, 'and according to yesterday's advices, kre\ contemplating representations .to the; Minister for Trade and Customs. "Unless the proposal is carried into effect without delay, the shipments of e&e'-jv Zealand butter that have already been bought,will be used to fill contracts for supplies to Manila, Straits .Settlements, South Africa, and other •■ markets. A statement has been pub-/ iished in Melbourne that owing to the »scarcity of butter supplies In Victoria, some shipments of Australian butter Sthich are now arriving or will soon arrive in London are likely to be returned to Melbourne if freight < can be arranged. Much of the butter sent from Melbourne to London since the beginning, of the year has been ex'poirty, it is stated, only because its quality made it almost useless for the I local'market.