CHEESE FOR OUR ARMIES.

North Otago Times, Volume CIII, Issue 13654, 23 August 1916, Page 1

CHEESE FOR OUR ARMIES.

' rejMiof op imperial , (IOVIIRNMENT'S OFFER. EXPLANATION- FOR DOMINION PRODUCERS. (Per'Press.Association,). ' ■■ AUCKLAND, AUfjiisl ;!1, A review ol' llie position relaling lo the reject ion by .cheese producers oi' Ihe Imperial Government's offer of ,Sd a pound for cheese for the Allied armies has been given to a Herald.reporter by Mr If. E'.'Pacey, managing director of the New -Zealand Dairy Association. Mr Paccy said he had thought il highly desirablo thai llie deal should be completed, and lie personally regretted that, the' negotiations had proved abortive, The producers' offer to accept BJd per lb was-made under the.assumption that Hie total output would lie required, and mi the day on- which the committee, representing the producers', met tho Prime Minister,, offers were freely 'made ou'.behalf of English firms, for factory outputs at over 9d per lb.- ' Notwithstanding thai lie believed llie committee would have adhered ' willing"lo-.the offer of B}d. - Indeed, considering the special purpose'of'the'puriihase and the fact that it. freed New Zealand' factories from 'transport risks, probably llie business'might have been done .at a price somewhat less, When, however, Mr Massey submitted, tjjie Tinpenal*Government's offer of 8d for only 8000 lons, to arrive in England at the rate of 2000 tons monthly, during January, February, March and April, it was outsjde the authorisation' given to the committeo by factories, arid did hot leave scope for negotiations, Asked if the-'reduction of |he. Uonipni requirements to 8000 tons, it.....'.'id of-about 50,000 tons originally indicated/was due to the. War Office having purchased in Canada as recently reported. Mr Paeey- replied, that he did. not know. He said lie. was.disappointed at the curtailment of the, order, ami at the request that delivery should be made during tho months which included t : ic most advantageous for the. industry. Meanwhile the outlook was encouraging. and, subject to the maintenance, of shipping facilities, cheese producers would certainly" have' a' good> season.'. Asked whether they would have, a better season than butter producers, Mr i'aeey replied that he could hot say, n« the butter market showed extraordinary prospects, lie thought that both butter and cheese producers would have reason for gratification.