CORRESPONDENCE

Southland Times, Issue 19229, 20 May 1921, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

BUTTER INDUSTRY’ OF SOUTHLAND. (To the Editor.) Sir, —When the Parliamentary Party from the north were at Otautau recently, it was | reported in your paper that Mr John I Fisher made representations to them that I there should be Government supervision over the testing of cream at proprietory • butter factories. He stated that he did I not think that the companies were dishonest | but that he considered that there was de- . preciation or something, and that farmers I were losing thousands of pounds. Since I then a paragraph in an Invercargill paper I stated that Mr J. R. Hamilton, M.P., was I looking into the matter and had comj municated with the Minister. It is evident when all the facts are considered that Mr Fisher, who is secretary and business manager for a number of cheese factories in the Otautau district, is indulging in a little propaganda work against the buttrr companies. Before the advent of the butter factory farmers were obliged to send their milk to a cheese factory or go out of dairying, as there was no other market for it. They now can send cream to a butter factory or milk to a cheese factory, whichever pays or suits them best. Evidently Mr Fisher finds the competition of the butter factories serious and is hoping to check it a little. The value of the butter produced in Southland five years ago did not exceed £lO,OOO. This year the value of Southland’s output is £250,000. This will probably be information which Mr Hami'ton does not possess. The Waitaki Dairy Company’s factory and testing department is open at all times for inspection by anyone interested and we extend an invitation to Mr Fisher, Mr Hamilton or any other person to come and see actual tests being made and to examine our methods of handling cream and furnishing returns. It is a curious but significant fact, in view of Mr Fisher’s remarks at Otautau, that not one of our 700 suppliers, which number included 26 cheese companies, had asked for or suggested Government supervision or any alteration whatever in our company’s method of testing. Hoping Mr Hamilton will publish the reply received from the Minister, — I am, etc., A. H. MACKRELL. For the Waitaki Dairy Co., Ltd. THE PRICE OF MEAT. (To the Editor.) Sir, —In reference to the price of meat sold at present to the public, let me say ) that one would naturally think the butcher? of Invercargill had been absolutely robbing the public for a good number of years past according to a local butcher. I have been in business for 15 years in Invercargill and I can truthfully say that their profits have been below any business in retail business according to their turnover. In the year 1917-18 when stock was selling at 55/- per lOOlbs, Invercargill butchers were retailing their meat with the highest price, for rump steak, at lOd per lb, and all other joints in proportion. In the year 1919 I remember beef as high as 100/- per lOOlbs and mutton at lOd per lb for months, and the local butchers in business then sold their goods at 6d and 7d per lb, which had cost them a long way more. Now when stock has come back with all other things, but meat mostly, the butchers are the only ones who have dropped their prices to the same extent. Anybody, during the last month, could have sold meat, but why not come into the trade when beef is 100/- per 1001 b and mutton lOd per lb, That is where tradesmen come in. It is all very well to know when to buy but anybody can sell on a cheap market, when there is so much inferior meat offering. Fancy prime cows at £5 14/-, sold at the prices quoted at cheap shops to-day! They ought to be selling at per lb, according to the relationship of prices at the close of the war. When meat is dear these merchants go for a holiday and when it suits themselves they have a good go at the cheap quality offering. When the war was on the butchers were paying the wealthy farmers and dealers 100/- per lOOlbs for beef and poor old mother was only getting 4/9 per day from the soldiers’ pay. She could not go smiling then with a cheap joint, because the wealthy fanner and dealer was getting all the profit.-—I am, etc., W. J. McMAHON. Butcher.