CHRISTMAS CREAM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27266, 17 December 1949, Page 6

CHRISTMAS CREAM

PUBLIC CO-OPERATION ESSENTIAL

PRICE RAISED FOR PERIOD PA WELLINGTON, Dec. 16. “The decision to lift the restrictions on the sale of cream for the Christmas period will create problems of supply and will be a success only if all cooperate to that end,” said the Minister of Supply. Mr Bowden, tonight. “ The public will receive the best service if they assist their vendors by giving •ample notice of their requirements. It is suggested that two days’ notice will be needed. “The public could also assist by the prompt return of containers and by meeting any reasonable requests of vendors, Mr Bowden said. The Minister added that the public should realise that to make supplies available would place a great strain on the treatment houses and distributors, who, in many cases, would have insufficient bottles and cartons. To provide for adequate returns in the special circumstances, arrangements had been made for the issue of a price order increasing the price of cream to consumers to 8d per quarter-pint, with , proportionate charges to sales in other quantities. For the period during which the restrictions were lifted the margins to the trade, covering the treatment, bottling, and distribution of cream, had been varied to read as follows: To Treating Houses. —Separation and treatment, 2s per gallon of cream; bottling, Is Bd. To Vendors. —Retail distribution of bottled cream, 3s per gallon-retail distribution of loose cream, 4s 8d per Associations.— Separation and handling, Is 3d per gallon. Mr Bowden said the price arrangements with producer associations under the national milk scheme were not varied, and the town milk producer price would still be guaranteed to associations on the same quantities of milk as before. For quantities of milk used in excess of that guaranteed by the Government for supplying sweet cream, producer associations would receive tne price order price less the margins involved. Where surplus nnlk had been in the past diverted to the ice cream industry, normal supplies should not be diverted from that industry to the sweet cream trade. Mr Bowden said that if in /ny area full supplies of cream could not he maintained preference should be given to permit holders. It was realised that notice to the trade had been brief but the extent to which cream would be available to-the public would be the measure of the co-operation of all concerned —treating house, producer, vendor, and consumer.