BUTTER PRICES COMMITTEE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18050, 25 September 1920, Page 13

BUTTER PRICES COMMITTEE

ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE.

(Peu United Pjsisss Association.) WELLINGTON, September 24. Ths Parliamentary isutcor 1-rices Committee met again to-day. A letter was received from the New Zealand Alliance ot .Labour regarding the invitation to give evidence, seating that the executive did not consider tho time r.pe lor the alliance to take action. Mr Campbell, secretary of tlie Wellington lrades u.ua jLaDour Council, sa;d tlie question had not been considered by his council While not denying the farmer the fuli value of his products at a. time of h:gli prices, their complaint was thai tho working man had not had his share in the spoil It was admitted that the farmer should have the same price in New Zealand as in tho overseas market. There must be some consideration tor the man who had to pay those prices. A discontented man was a nuisance, and a whole community of discontented men would bo a grave, menace I'rom his own knowledge he knew that tho majority of working men were living from hand to mouth. 'J. no average labourer did not receive more than £3 a week. An increase in the "price of butter by Is per lb .was a serious matter to.tho average working man. He considered that if the price ot butter was raised there should be a commensurate rise in wages. The workers had been asked by members of tho council to suggest that there should bo a tax on export, and that an adequate supply cf butter should be kept in the country for the needs of the community. Henry Worrall, of the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council, stated that his council were unanimously of opinion that the price of butter should not be allowed to rise for although the Arbitration Court might raise wages to meet the Increase there were a great many salaried men and pensioners who would be most vitally affected.' Seeing that the dairying industry had been eo much assisted m the past by the State, it was not fair to the community that the high prices for butten in Britain should rule in i\ew Zealand Ho urged the committee to go thoroughly into land speculation and look especially into the land agency "business, which had played a tremendous part in inflating land values. For tho sake of the siolc and the children, butter prices ought not to be allowed to rise. I-U s opinion was that if ration tickets were issued they should be made general. Ho objected to the working men being given 'ration tickets and rich people buying f.s usual. That would be lowering the dignity of labour. Supplies should be distributed evenly, without being affected by wealth

POSITION IN WELLINGTON,

SOME INTERESTING .TaRTICULARS.

(Feom Oor Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 24. Iho butter , question is continuing to excite a. considerable amount of interest aiid an ominous indication of the possibilities was given at tue Parliamentary Committee tins morning, when tho Now. Zealand Alliance- ot Laoour refused to give evidence stating that the executive did not consider the time ripe for the alliance to take action «ome facts regarding the present position may be of interest. In order to avoid any shortage of local supplies • of butter such as occurred lust year, the Government took steps to retain in tho country un amply sufficient quantity to fill local requirements, until the. new season's butter became available. Owing to the open and mild autumn a greater quantity \va s inanutacted prior to tho end of July than had boen anticipated, consequently the Government stocks have, hold out until the present tune. ■ Very little of last season's butter ; s now left in store, and the. now season's make will have, to be drawn-upon, as from about the beginning of October. Tho price at which this is to be placed upon'tho market has yet to be arranged, but this will bo fixed in a few days. In any case owing to the greatly increased export value, and the increased cost of production the sellintt Price will be necessarily higher than that fixed for butter of last season's make. In issuing supplies from tho store to the wholesalers, and through them to the :e----tailers, every effort is being made by tho department to prevent any one trading firm or individual, securing larger stocks than would be required for selling purposes, up to the end of the present month. But naturally, it is impossible to do this in so exact a manner as to ensure that the supplies of all last season's butter from the Government stocks will bo entirely used up by October 1. In addition, a considerable quantity of butter was held in private ownership by traders who had made a regular business of supplying local requirements, and some of this still remains. It is necessary to make it clear that when a rise in prico takes place about the beginning of October, this rise will only apply to butter made since August 'I, and t.hn't all butter manufactured nrior to that dato must still bo sold within the maximum prices fixed bv tho Gazette notice of June 17—viz., Is sgd, ex freezing store, ex factory, or f.o.b. coastal ports, and Is 9d retail. The department is taking a census of n\\ stocks held by individuals, and all possible steps will be taken to ensure that none of this Inst- ser.son's butter shall be sold to tho public at prices higher than those aboveramed. Any infringement of the terms of t!if> Gazotto notice will be severely dealt with.