DEAR BUTTER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10717, 11 October 1920, Page 5

DEAR BUTTER

PUBLIC CLAIM PROTECTION INTERESTING OPINIONS ON THE RECENT INCREASE. SUGGESTIONS—AND SUBSTITUTES. “It seems hard on the people,” said a Wellington merchant to a “New Zealand Times’’ reporter, who was encleav. curing to obtain some expressions of opinion as to the jump from Is 9d to 2s lOd per pound in the price of butter, “but what’s the use of kicking? There's the price, and if the people don’t like to par it—well, they’ve got to go without. There aren’t many philanthropists in the business world today—if a man introduces that sort of tbjng into bis business be usually lands in the Bankruptcy Court. I notice one man who has been trying to do something in that lino in connection with the supply of milk, and he has been jumped on with both feet. There aro many grateful people, I know; but probably in the commercial circle in which that man has to operate he is looked upon as a malefactor, guilty of conduct of whioh he should be ashamed. It will be the same with butter, I presume. The retailer’s profit, taking the advanced price into consideration, is small indeed. It is very evident that he, at any rate, is reaping no advantage at the expense of the public. Should anyone doubt this, he could very easily be satisfied as to the correctness of my statements.” PROTECT NEW ZEALANDERS. “What is the remedy?” counterqueried another merchant to whom a question was put. “It’s hard to say off-hand, but I think the people in New Zealand should have been given some protection. Because one. part of the world is in a state of chaos, because food production is almost at a standitill, and famine prices are ruling for meat, butter,'etc., that is no reason why New Zealanders should be penalised and forced to pay such prices besause foreigners 14.000 miles away are short. If there had been fewer revolutions and more work these people would have had more food to-day. But because they have carried the red flag of revolution throughout their land to secure what they termed their ‘independence,’ while production —without which ruin and misery must come—was left to others. New Zealanders are to he again saddled with this jump in the cost of living. I am not apportioning blame —it is part of the aftermath of war —but I do think it is cruel that hard-working, self-sacrificing and loyal people such, as there are in this land should he asked to come into line with their prices because of a shortage caused by the faults of others. Instead of punishing the bad boy, we appear to be doctoring him up with all tie medicine-we have in the chest and giving him the best things wo have in the larder. A SUGGESTED REMEDY. “What should bo done? Let the producer get the best market he can for his produce—but let a sufficiency of that produce bo kept here and the price controlled so that the people’s urgent requirements in the way of-essential-foods may be met. If the Government bad recognised that its first duty is to protect the interests and the pockeffi of the people who placed them in power, to consider the condition of the small population of this fair land, and 'to see that every man, woman, and child is able to get sufficient healthy food at reasonable rates—if this had been done, I say, and sufficient retained in New Zealand and the price fixed at a reasonable figure, the people wouldn’t care a jot what was done with the surplus, which would form probably 80 per cent, of the whole. And I will go so far as to say that this will yet have to be done. Why? Because the people wish it, and the people will rule.”

•■v' I SUBSTITUTES SUGGESTED GRIPPING AND MARGARINE. Now that the price of butter has soared to 2s lOd per lb dripping as a substitute has been mentioned. “It is a splendid health-giving, nourishing food/’ said a medical man to a “Times” representative, “and the people might well use the beer dripping in place of butter and the ordinary dripping in place of butter and the ordinary dripping for cooking and baking. Yes, I know that beef is fairly high in price, but all the same people must have meat, and with beef there is also a good substitute for the high-soaring Butter.” “Yes, and why not margarine?” said a housewife to a “Times” -man. “It is a splendid substitute for butter, and can now be made of such a quality as to make it difficult for the average person to distinguish the difference. In England it is being produced on an enormous scale, and many million pomnds of margarine were consumed fast year, while this year there will be another’ big increase. -It is really a splendid substitute, and in England all the old objections to it have been broken down. In quite good families, when the butter ration was but one ounce per week per person, margarine was purchased, but it was mixed with butter before being used. Many housewives at first used one pound of butter to two pounds of margarine, hut _afterwards pure margarine took its place on tables from which it had been consistently banned, and upon my word many people who professed to bo fastidious about their tastes didn't know the difference;'’ It has been pointed out that for the Jewish community during the war what was called ‘‘Kosher” butter was produced. It was mad© from vegetable oils and was guaranteed to he entirely free from animal fats. BUTTER FOR EXPORT PROPOSAL TO DECLARE IT “BLACK.”; The following resolution was carried unanimously at a meeting of railwaymen held at the Potone workshops:— “That this mass meeting of railwaymen, Wellington branch A.S.R.S., vigorously protest against tho further increase in the price- of butter and other staple foods, which onlj' moans that a corresponding increase in wages is warranted to meet tho same. We ask the support of all railwaymon and tho outside public throughout Now Zealand to endorse the proposal of declaring all butter consigned for export ‘Mack’ until a corresponding increase in wages to all essential workers is granted from tho date of rise.

Further, wo seek the support of all ! transport workers to protect the general well-being of all innocent children and adults, against the strong elements of profiteering. Also wo ask the Government that if they desire to protect free markets it is their duty to safeguard its citizens from further obligations by granting them their portion of the socially-created wealth.” RAILWAYMEN’S DEMANDS INCREASED WAGES WANTED. DAIRY FARMERS AND SAWMILLERS. The increase in the price of butter for the now season’s output provoked a long discussion at a meeting of the Thorndcn branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, held yesterday, and eventually the following motion was carried unanimously : —■ “That, in view of increases in the prices of butter and other necessaries of life, this branch of the A.S.B.S. press for an immediate increase in wages of two shillings per day. We wish to point out that such an increase will not necessitate any further rise in railway nates and fares, as the recent increases and improved conditions involved a sum of £750,000 per annum, whereas it was officially stated that the rise in rates and fares lately given effect to would, it was estimated, produce an additional £1,200,000 per annum of railway revenue.” During the discussion, one speaker urged that the dairy producers were inconsistent in their attitude regarding the fixing of prices of butter and cheese for local consumption. He stated that about two years ago, dairy farmers brought pressure to bear on the Government, and succeeded in materially restricting the export of white pine timber, only a limited quantity of which was now allowed to leave the Dominion. Not only that, but at the request of the butter and obeesa producers a maximum price had been fixed on white pine timber sold in the Dominion, so that sawmillers had to accept a much lower price locally than they received for the limited quantity of white pine they were allowed to export. And these butter and cheese producers, ho added, raise a howl of indignation when it is proposed that conditions should be imposed on them similar to those which they were the means of imposing on the sawmillera of the Dominion. He maintained that “What was sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander.” The Wellington Typographical Union has passed a resolution viewing with alarm the rapid increase in the cost of living, particularly butter, milk, and coal, and calls for all industrial unions to endorse . the action of the Petone railwayman in demanding a readjustment of .wages to meet the increase. . The School Committees’ Association is to discuss the butter position and the price as at present charged. A special meeting is to be held to-nxght for the purpose. It is stated that other meetings of protest are to be held ' during -the week. >