The Waipa Post. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1916. THE PRICE OF BUTTER.

Waipa Post, Volume XII, Issue 587, 24 October 1916, Page 2

The Waipa Post. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1916. THE PRICE OF BUTTER.

A situation savouring of the burlesque has been created by the Board of Trade and the Government in connection with the dairying industry this year. Last year it will be remembered that portion of the cheese output was taken by the Government at a price considerably less than was obtainable on the London market. To their credit the cheese producers accepted the position in a good spirit, and they stood the burden themselves without any aid whatsoever. This year it has been decided that butter for local consumption is to be made available at a fixed maximum price—-

as in the case of the cheese taken last year, below London parity. But in connection with the decision the butter producer is not asked to stand the difference in price; the cheese and butter producer alike are to be penalised in the imposition of an export license to make up the difference in price to local suppliers. Just why the cheese producer is penalised one season on his own product and the next season on account of butter, practically a separate industry, it would take a Philadelphia lawyer to explain. The action is one which fully justifies the strong protests that are being made. And the fixing of the local price of butter is in itself a peculiar action in view of the course of that action. If it is considered that butter is too dear, as indicated by events in the fixing of a price, it can only follow that undue profit is being made. If undue profit is being made then obviously the producer of butter should have his profit limited. The Government has in effect indicated that the profit is undue by regulating the price. But it immediately indicates, on the other hand, that the profit is not undue by making arrangements to recompense the butter producers for the loss occasioned by local sales. Could anything be more perplexing? Various propositions, and the one chosen, to to provide this compensation provide a problem which is insoluble. Last season were the butter producers asked to compensate the cheese producers? No. Would the butter producers have been agreeable to such a levy? It may be taken that they certainly would not. But this year the cheese producers, after already having made one contribution, are to be forced to help the butter factories. Why should this be? It. would have been just as reasonable to tax tea-rooms when anti-shouting was introduced, to make up the loss sustained by the publicans. A very naive suggestion is made that the compensation should come out of the Consolidated Fund. We cannot sec that this would help matters in the slightest. For the general taxpayer would contribute out of taxation the few shillings a month saved in the grocer’s bill, and he would also have to provide the cost of collecting the taxation so diverted. Thus nothing would be gained. The question also arises as to whether the cost of butter is, proportionately to other commodities, too high. There are other articles of daily consumption in connection with which the percentage of increased prices is equally great. Why, then, should butter be singled out for this extraordinary and very contradictory action? Saturday’s casualty list, issued by the Defence Department, gave particulars of 244 casualties, as follow; — Killed in action, 76; died of wounds, 16; wounded, 52. Corporal M. L. Claridge (Mr J.H. Claridge, of Otorohanga, father), who was previously reported wounded, is now reported to have died of wounds, and Private George Paul (Mr G. Paul, of Te Awamutu, father), is reported to have been wounded whilst in action in France.

All persons growing fruit trees and all occupiers of commercial orchards are notified, under the provisions of the Orchard Tax Act of last session, of the necessity to register the property on which the trees are growing. In the case of all commercial orchards a tax is imposed—irrespective of area —and all who grow fruit for sale are advised that the tax must be paid not later than 22nd November. In respect to orchards kept for domestic purposes new regulations are made requiring registration under the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, and every person growing one or more trees is required to apply for registration of the property on or before Thursday next. Heavy penalties arc provided for in the case of default, and it is necessary that close and immediate attention be paid to the requirements of these new regulations. Full particulars are advertised.

An interesting sidelight on the affairs of the Farmers’ Union, which has a particular bearing upon the manner in which some farmers view the qualification for membership, was gleaned during an informal discussion at a meeting at Kihikihi last week. It was stated that parents were not, as a rule, at all anxious that their sons should associate themselves with the Union or that the lads should be taught to study Union affairs, so that, on reaching an age when they could actively participate, they would be in possession of a good general knowledge of the chief aims and objects of the Union. Farmers, at least many of them, did not appear at all anxious that their sons should be enrolled, and harboured the belief that it was quite sufficient if one member of a family became a member. “Wait until lie launches out for lymself,” is a common reply to any suggestion that a young man should enrol as a member of the Farmers’ Union; and this shows very clearly that farmers arc in very marked contrast to every other Union that exists in this country to-day. Trades unionists educate their children to the purposes of their organisation. and grasp every opportunity to instil its benefits and demonstrate its value on the young mind, so that, when the youths become young men, they Hock into the ranks of the unionists and are fully ready to play a part in maintaining it as an effective and influential body. How different is the case of the farmers and the farmers’ sons, and the sooner the absurdity or the idea that farmers’ unionism is not open to the young men on the faints is recognised by the parents the sooner will the organisation of farmers claim its rightful place as a strong and influential body.

mercial writer in an English magazine,” “ to circumvent Hun trickery. Scarcely are the trade war plans of the allies commenced than reports come from Germany to the effect that certain ‘ British ’ firms are even now trading with the chief enemy. From various commercial- centies, especially Leipzig, come declarations that ‘ British ’ firms have recently placed orders for goods valued at £500,000, and such reports stand uncontradicted.” The "question arises as to how these firms can find a way to evade the rigid censorship and penetrate the seemingly impenetrable blockade that hems in the enemy. What, also, is the nationality of the principles of these allegedly ‘ British ’ firms which are so lavishly time, money, and labour to break down the barriers that divide the British markets from the manufacturing centres of Germany and Austria? These questions bafile most men, but it seems quite apparent that much remains to be done by English firms in the way of removing from their service innumerable agents in neutral countries—particularly Holland —who, if not actually German, are openly outrageously anti-British. Such agents are doubtless amongst those placing orders with their German friends—probably for after-the-war delivery. The idea may have suggested itself that it will be the easiest thing in the world to accumulate German stock in Holland and dump it into England as Dutch produce, and it daily grows clearer that it is a part of the German plan to attempt to perfect a system whereby Holland will become a sort of distributing station for German goods before they continue their voyage to the allied countries. In England a sharp lookout is being kept for the development of thjis German ideal, and measures are being taken to not merely check its influence now but to assure its completo overthrow in the future, and in New Zealand it will be well that we jealously protect the trade of the Empire to the detriment of unscrupulous pro-German agents.