THE BUTTER LEVY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14340, 3 July 1917, Page 7

THE BUTTER LEVY.

ACTIVE TWO DOZEN MEMBERS. (Front- our Parliamentary Reporter.) / WELLINGTON, this clay. When two dozen members combine upon a common plan, their effort should produce results m Parliament, though it is difficult to imagine what Avill be the eventual solution of the butter fat levy question Avhich the active tAvo dozen intend to agitate upon. Their first move is to deputationise the returned leaders Avith a view to securing the abolition of the levy arid i*efimd"of the moneys paid under the scheme. The rest of the plan is -a secret for the present, but I I understand that those opposed to the levy are now prepared to carry their objections so far a s to oppose any restriction upon the local price. They Avill agree, to any restriction equitably worked, but they contend that the present system is grossly unfair, and they have evidence shoAving that m some indiA'idual cases there lias been hardship. An attack has been made on the levy from the constitutional aspect, the member for Waikato declaring through the medium of a question, that Cabinet has exceeded its powers m taxing a portion of the community Avithout their consent. This point, however, has abready been decided by the Court' of Appeal m the Government's favor. The Minister of Agriculture (Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald) when he visited Australia, looked into the details of the Commonwealth system, under which a proportion pi the output from all factories is commandeered for local consumption, any unconsumed balance being sold for export. _ The NeAv Zealand Minister's opinion is that our system is more efficient and less cumbersome. The country members must- be prepared to face a good deal of opposition from oily representatives, >Avho generally hold the opinion that the Government did not go far enough m controlling the price" of butter and cheese. The danger of th:s position is that the two; sections Avill mutually destroy each other's 'case, leaving the Government to' Avatch the dispute quite unperturbed. x