GUARANTEED PRICE FOR BUTTERFAT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 121, 23 May 1944, Page 8

GUARANTEED PRICE FOR BUTTERFAT

INCREASE DISCUSSED AT CHRISTCHURCH. <P.A.) Christchurch, May 20. The decision of the Government to make an increase in the guaranteed price of 1.21 per pound of butterfat was the main topic at the Dairy Board ward conference at Christchurch as it has been at ward conferences in other parts of New Zealand, but there was less criticism of the board than at the North Island centres. One of the delegates expressed what appeared to be the view of the majority when he said: “The board has done all it could do and should not be blamed. It is not the board’s fault if the Government has not fallen in with its wishes.' A motion asking the chairman of the board, Mr. W. E. Hale, to approach the Acting Prime Minister with a request that he cable the Prime Minister, asking him to use every endeavour to obtain from Britain an increase in the price of dairy produce, was superseded by an amendment supporting the action of the board in asking for an increase of 1.99 d when negotiating with the New Zealand Government earlier in the year. An indication that the last may not have been heard on the price question was given by a ward member, Mr. J. Dunlop, who told a questioner thal he could not say the price was final. The board would inform the Government that wherever it went the question of price had been raised. It was only fair to the Government and to all concerned to do that. The conference also carried a resolution asking that the calf-rearing subsidy should apply to all calves. The mover, Mr. G. H. Christie, said that more than half the dairy production of Canterbury came from small heards which would not benefit if the subsidy applied only to calves bevond five.