AUSTRALIAN HONEY

Southland Times, Issue 23228, 17 June 1937, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN HONEY

ALLEGED BLENDING s

AN EMPHATIC DENIAL GIVEN (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 16. An emphatic denial that Australian honey had been blended with New Zealand and exported to the British market as New Zealand honey was given by the chairman of the Honey Control Board (Mr R. J. Butland) at the annual conference of the National Beekeepers’ Association today. There had been some misleading and inaccurate statements circulated about Australian honey, said Mr Butland. The board had certain contracts with manufacturers and early this season when reports indicated record crops would have welcomed further contracts. The particular contracts under review at present had been held for some time and they offered excellent returns and a convenient method of keeping New Zealand honey away from other packers. The board was committed to these contracts and, foreseeing the possibility of a shortage in the regular pack requirements it was anxious to divert every available pound of New Zealand honey into the packing depot to sell it through the most profitable channel. It was therefore decided to explore the possibilities of securing honey which would be acceptable in the execution of the contracts, thereby conserving New Zealand honey for the packing business. After searching through honeys in Australia the board was able to secure 100 tons and an option over a further parcel which it had not yet exercised. Not a pound of that honey was ever put into “Imperial Bee” nor Would it ever be sold as New Zealand honey. The price at which* the honey was bought would show a profit to the board and that meant the exporter. Apart from the profit the contract had to be fulfilled. It would make available more honeys for “Imperial Bee” pack and consequently would increase the pool returns. After a long discussion the meeting unanimously carried a motion expressing complete confidence in the Honey Control Board and satisfaction with the results it had achieved and endorsing the board’s action on the Australian honey transaction.