BUTTER AND TIMBER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 16 October 1920, Page 3

BUTTER AND TIMBER

, 4 CONTRAST IX TRKATAfKNT. The contrast between the treatment' of sawmillers and butter producers was emphasised by the secretary of th > Dominion Federated Sawmillers’ Association (.Mr W. T. Irvine) in the course of an interview. “The rise in the price of butter,” said Air Irvine, “again brings prominently before the public the attitude taken up by the National Dairy Association, respecting the stoppage of the export of white pine. The Dairy .Association approached the Government to obtain cheap butter boxes at the expense of the sawmiller, and, although the outcry did not result in a complete stoppage, it led to the restric-tion-of export of both white pine ,and building timber. In addition to this’ restriction local prices for all rim'bers are regulated by the Board of 'trade. liu> local price bearing no relation to 1 be export' price. “Contrast: this position with that of the dairy farmer, who, while advocating restriction of price‘for the snwindier, demands the world’s market, price for his product sold in the Dominion, and contrast i:. with (he position of the jlonrmiller, whose wheat is subsidised. io enable him to sell at a fixed pries There is nothing of that sort v. iih the sawmiller, who is limited as to exnori, and is restricted as to local price without subsidy or compensation of auv kind- all for the benefit of the community. The sawmiller is therefore compelled to become a- public benefactor, and, while paying heavy taxation, hi the ordinary course, is mulcted in the dilference bet ween the export price and the local price. That' implies double axaiion. Is this the Government’s square deal, or in any sense fair plavP The principle of the payment of subsidies I do not desire to discuss for.the present! but if it holds good for rhei butter producer, it must, in common fairness, apply in the sawmiller,”