DAIRY PRODUCE PRICES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23353, 19 November 1937, Page 6

DAIRY PRODUCE PRICES

AUCKLAND FARMERS’ COMPLAINT COMPARATIVE FIGURES QUOTED (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND. Nov. 18. “ What the primary producers ask for is a price in the local butter and cheese market that is at least equal to London parity with the guaranteed price as a minimum." was the comment made in a statement issued by the Auckland provincial president of the Farmers’ Union (Mr H. O. Mell* sop). The statement compares the position in the Dominion with that obtaining in Australia, and also deals with the internal market prices prevailing in other countries which are also supplying the London market with primary produce. The president states that the price m Australia has been fixed at 149 s 9d per cwt for butter, and at lOd a lb for cheese. The statement sets out a schedule showing the prices paid for butter in the home markets of the countries that are competing with New Zealand in supplying the British market. The respective prices that were ruling a short time ago when the London retail price of butter was Is a lb are quoted as follows:

“ To put the matter quite accurately, logically, and, I think, tolerantly,” continued Mr Mellsop's statement, “ with the conditions as they have been during the past few months, the primary

producers are definitely providing a subsidy for the rest of the people in New Zealand. If the procedure followed in other countries were followed entirely the opposite policy would be operating in order to assist in building up the export trade, and through exports the prosperity of everybody in the country. “Are the people of New Zealand prepared to let their countrymen work 50 per cent, longer hours and receive remuneration 50 per cent, below skilled wages in order to subsidise others by supplying them with butter lor less than the British market price? concludes the statement.

s. d. Australia .. . . .. 1 44 Austria .. 1 11 Denmark .. .. 5 Sweden . .. 1 6 France 8 Holland . .. 2 4 Norway . .. 1 9 Switzerland 9 7