BUTTER PRICES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16625, 6 January 1922, Page 7

BUTTER PRICES.

TO THE EPITOK. Sir,—ln to-night’s issue is an article “ The Breakfast Table,” which is written in an antagonistic spirit about the dairyman. Butter must come lower, it states, on a parity with London. But the wages bill lias not declined to allow the dairyman to sell as cheaply as the hulk which is exported. Besides the interest has gone up on all overdue mortgages and rents are inflated. Who squeaked last year but practically this same merchant when dairymen wanted parity prices because he did not get enough profit? What have dairymen made out of pigs this last year? Absolutely nothing for fattening, but the merchants were getting a fat thing until the question was asked in the House about the Board of Trade inquiring about huge profits on ham and bacon. Bigs are sold to-day at per lb on the hoof, and hums and bacon are Is 2d and lOd respectively. One word of warning: If the Government allow the English butter market to break and swamp our fresh butter New Zealand will see one of the greatest financial disasters that she will ever pass through. The wool and mutton trouble will only be a fleabite to it. Just take a look over the number of dairymen struggling to the few sheep men in the Dominion. Merchants would be well reminded that although last year the dairy produce reached a high figure the dairymen did not squeal when the banks used our money to meet the drafts of the merchants in London who had over bought at high prices.—l am, etc., ONE OF THEM.